THE READERS' FORUM Friday's letters: Weight loss with drugs is fast and easy … and will not last

Friday's letters: Weight loss with drugs is fast and easy ... and will not last

Weight-loss drugs

I'm not an expert on anything, but I disagree with Richard Burr's article on the Opinion page (May 29), regarding insurance coverage for anti-obesity medications. You can explain away the reasons for obesity in this country, but for the vast majority the simple fact is eating too much and/or eating the wrong foods.

So, why should the public pay for an AOM that helps you lose weight quickly and often leads to other gastric problems, only to put that weight back on when you cease taking the AOM?

Weight loss requires motivation and lots of it; behavioral changes; realistic plans and goals; healthy food choices; an active lifestyle; and the realization that the process is slow, as it should be, and takes time, lots of it.

If it's fast and easy it won't stick. It is like learning to play a sport - devoting the time and practicing correctly are a requirement.

Barbara Lineback

Winston Salem

No easy path to peace

The Journal published a letter on May 29 entitled "Yes, context matters." The author mentions all the evils that Israel had done to Palestinians before Oct. 7. Of course, on Oct. 7 Arabs did something bad to Israelis. There have been four major wars between Israel and Arabs between 1948 and 1973, killing thousands on both sides.

What evil things have Arabs ever done to Arabs? In 1970-71 the Jordanian army killed thousands of Palestinians when it attacked the PLO in the West Bank. Arabs are still fighting Arabs in Yemen.

The author of the May 29 letter wishes that Christians and Muslims will be able to visit a peaceful Holy Land one day. He says that all Israel must do is apologize for its actions against the Palestinians since 1948. Who will decide that this is enough to cause peace?

Neither the Palestinians, nor any Arab country, has anything to do with what happens in the future. As long as even a small percentage of Muslims want Israel destroyed there will be no peace.

Robert Kendall

Winston-Salem

Robinson's rhetoric

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson champions the notion that Republican leadership was responsible for leading an economic turnaround in this state (May 28 news article). Does he not recall the economic damage done by the 2016 Republican-sponsored "bathroom bill"? One could argue that that law was a significant hindrance to the economic well-being of our state. The repeal of that bill might have been a factor in more recent corporate decisions to invest here.

Corporations recognize the importance of all employees in building a successful product or service. Effective leaders don't diminish a subset of their employees based on how they conduct their personal lives.

A suggestion to all politicians: Seek to build bridges between people with varying backgrounds. This requires making some effort to understand people who are different from you. By sowing seeds of disapproval toward others (calling some people "filth," for example), you make this state a less attractive locale for future business investments in North Carolina.

Does Lt. Gov. Robinson want to enhance the business environment of North Carolina? Promoting divisive personal agendas will be counterproductive toward that goal.

Jim Fisher

Jamestown

Knee-deep with Israel

After nearly eight months of war and genocide, the Palestinian people are still living through one of the worst human rights atrocities. Israel has just launched an attack on Rafah, killing and injuring hundreds of innocent civilians. Rockets and bombs once again fill the air. It need not be this way.

This is what the government is using our money for and despite the overwhelming outcry of Americans everywhere to divest, we are still knee-deep with Israel. It is so important to speak out about this issue because people are dying, and we do not have time to wait.

More war is not the answer. In truth, there is no military solution to this crisis. It's critical that Rep. Kathy Manning and Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis publicly call for a ceasefire to finally bring an end to the violence.

Avela Chiya

Greensboro