I just want to express my support for the owners of the Citgo gas station on Liberty Street (“Gas station fights to keep doors open,” Aug. 23). It seems like they’re doing everything they can to operate a safe and peaceful business. They deserve the city’s support, not condemnation.

They’ve hired a security company and put up surveillance cameras to try to deal with crime. But frankly, if the store is located in a crime-ridden area, they can only do so much. It’s not their fault that people break the law.

And the law-abiding people in that area deserve to have a gas station and convenience store they can go to.

The nuisance abatement action the city is considering should be used only in extremely rare circumstances. It seems to me like the city has been doing too much of that lately.

If there’s so much crime in the area, a police presence is needed. Safety isn’t the store owners’ responsibility, even though they’re trying to be responsible.

The larger problem is people who are doing wrong. They need to be stopped, not a legitimate business.

Alan Newman

Winston-Salem

Say it out loud

When discussing economic injustice, Mayor Allen Joines says we should not use the word "reparations" because it's divisive (“City council may discuss reparations,” Aug. 24).

Well, there are other words such as atonement, amends and restitution, but given that Ta-Nehisi Coates has established a history for the word in his 2014 essay, "The Case for Reparations," and that H.R. 40 is decades old now and the conversation still hasn't begun, perhaps we could simply say the word "REPARATIONS" out loud until we all begin to understand what it means. Props, council member D.D. Adams!

Jamie Cheshire

Winston-Salem

Trump reasons

I know people have their reasons for supporting President Trump. They’re not stupid. And they know his flaws: his dishonesty and hypocritical immorality; his attack on our environment and truth; his politicization of political institutions that should be nonpartisan and embrace of harmful conspiracy theories; his possible criminality and that of his children.

They’re largely voting for him because he favors them and promises to protect them.

But even though he wants it, he can’t be president for life. If he’s allowed four more years, he’ll likely destroy many of the principles and values that make us American. He'll certainly eliminate any presidential norms left to his office. The next president will be a Democrat, and all the norms that might limit that Democrat will have been swept away by Trump’s abuses.

Is it really worth it?

James T. Fuller

Winston-Salem

President Harris

The Washington Post reported that North Carolina Lt. Gov. Dan Forest over the weekend said, “Could you imagine having Kamala Harris as president of the United States? I mean, we all know that Sleepy Joe probably won’t make it to Jan. 20.. So Kamala Harris, good chance she could be your president."

I know we’re in the middle of a political campaign. Everyone should keep in mind that this is the season for exaggeration and outright lies, especially from Republicans.

But Joe Biden is certainly in better health than fast-food eater President Trump.

I’ve seen Biden biking and running.

Trump can barely walk down a ramp.

It’s pretty disgusting for Forest to talk like that. It certainly doesn’t make our state look good.

And by the way, I can imagine Harris as president. She’d be great. She’d be much better than the current gaslighter-in-chief.

Gail Groves

Winston-Salem

Relying on handouts

I watched the Republican National Convention and was pleased by what the Republicans had to say. When you ask the question, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” for me the answer is yes. I’m safer and more prosperous. I think we’d be in real danger if Joe Biden was elected.

I don’t deny that racism exists, but I don’t understand why anyone wants to blame President Trump for it. Trump has spoken out against racism. He has reached out to the Black community and the Hispanic community. But he’s not going to put up with violence in Democratic-led cities. That’s just too much.

I’m glad to see that more African Americans and Hispanics are coming to understand that the Republican Party wants them to join us. We are the party of Lincoln and the party of Trump. I see no contradiction in that. We want everybody to prosper. We just don’t see that happening when they’re relying on handouts from Democrats rather than making their own way.

America is the fairest nation in the world. We should all work together under Trump’s Republican banner.

Gary C. Parent

Winston-Salem