Back in the ’90s a Greensboro social justice activist named Gary Kenton had a talk show on public access television. A libertarian friend of mine would come over and watch—-and he’d pick up my phone and call in to discuss and debate—more debate than discuss—the look on Kenton’s face when he heard my friend’s voice still to this day is priceless.

Time moves along—Kenton moved back to his native New York and my friend unfortunately passed away. But apparently Kenton is baaack—as evidenced by this News & Record letter to the editor:

It has been well documented how this policy has cost North Carolina billions of dollars, caused our private and employee insurance premiums to go up and resulted in hundreds of deaths each year. The question is, why would the McCrory administration pursue such a disastrous, inhumane course of action? I have come to the conclusion that it has much to do with racism.

There are Republicans in Raleigh who would rather see North Carolinians dying in the streets than give our black president a policy victory.

Gary Kenton
Greensboro

My late friend was much at better and debating Kenton over the phone, but all I will do is meet an absurd statement with an absurd statement —when people do start dying in the streets, I hope they won’t do so when I’m trying to enjoy Gboro’s new LeBauer Park, which opens later this year.