Regarding NRA's proposition of emulating Israel with armed guards at all the schools (shopping malls and other public places), I would like us to remember that Israel is defending itself against hostile forces outside its borders. We have Mexico and Canada on our borders. Further, Israel spends a tremendous amount on national defense and gets some help from our government.

With the budget crisis in our laps should we consider adding an entire new layer of cost to either our schools or our police? Or shall we do like the Israelis do: draft all 18 year olds for a stint in the army and place them as guards in public places along (with private security) and keep everyone on reserve for call-ups. Are we ready for that?

Licensing and regulating guns such as we do for cars seems sensible to me: a written fact test; a practical test; a vision test; insurance; felony and other checks and regular review sounds great to me. And a ban on automatic weapons. We don't need them for hunting or any non-military use.

As for defending ourselves, we have the armed forces and a well-regulated militia: the national guard. I don't want to live in the wild west or Yemen.

Janice Pinchot Woychik

Chapel Hill

Parents must be alert

The recent school shootings seem to point at children that have had problems in school and with law enforcement and are mentally challenged.

Parents should be the first ones to detect these conditions and should immediately remove guns from the area.

Also they might consider monitoring the TV shows that the children watch. The presence and use of guns seems to be ever present without regard for the problems that are created.

Henry McPeak

Durham

Nonprofits facing cliff

I’m proud to serve on the staff of the statewide N.C. Center for Nonprofits ( ncnonprofits.org).

The federal “fiscal cliff” poses a serious threat to our state’s nonprofit sector and the communities and people who depend on them. Contact your congressional representatives and ask them to work to prevent the fiscal cliff and the arbitrary spending cuts that will result if no agreement is reached. Urge them not to add to the strain on nonprofits’ work by imposing new caps on itemized deductions.

If Congress doesn’t act before Dec. 31, more than $54 billion will arbitrarily be cut from federal programs. Demand for nonprofits’ services would continue to rise while federal funding would decrease – and this on top of declines in funding from individuals, foundations, corporations, and state and local governments.

The proposed cap on itemized deductions would essentially eliminate tax incentives for individuals to give to charitable nonprofits. Most people will deduct first the state/local taxes they’ve paid, and then their mortgage interest. With a cap on itemized deductions, it’s unlikely they’ll have any room left to deduct charitable contributions.

The charitable tax deduction is a unique aspect of Americans’ ability to support the causes they care about. Gutting it would pull the rug out from under those very organizations and causes that keep our communities glued together.

Please join me in asking our elected leaders not to throw our communities off the fiscal cliff.

Trisha Lester

N.C. Center for Nonprofits

Call for HIV art show

Artists who are from, or are connected to Durham are invited to attend a forum held by LinCS2 Durham that will demystify recent research conducted to explore potential involvement and reception to HIV prevention research among Durham’s black young adults (age 18-30). Learn more about LinCS 2 Durham at lincs2durham.org/.

The forum will be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Blue Coffee Café downtown.

After the forum, artists interested in creating artwork in response to the research will submit a 1-page proposal and two or three digital images of past work. To be considered, applications must be submitted by 9 p.m. Jan. 28.

Artists will be notified if they are selected to participate by January 31 and will receive a $100 stipend after completing their piece. All completed art works must be received by March 29.

Artwork created for this exhibition will be on display at Blue Coffee Café from March 30 to May 15, with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 19.

Artists will retain all rights to their piece. Works must be picked up the same day the exhibition closes, May 15.

Interested artists are to RSVP to the curator, Catherine Howard, at lincs2durhamart@gmail.com by 9 p.m. Jan. 15.

Catherine Howard

Durham