Enough already of people criticizing, complaining and opposing Bud Talley’s vision of The Talley Farms Motocross Track, or whatever he wants to call it. It’s time someone wrote a positive response to his idea. I guess I’m the one to do it, because I support his plan 100%. Smoke is not just blowing here; I’m stating facts from personal interaction with the Talley family, and with other native Maconians.

I write this not from reading other letters, but from word of mouth, due to the fact I do not read the Franklin Press or Macon County News on a regular basis.

Just as Needmore, McCoy Bridge is a very popular tourist attraction. Hundreds of out-of-town and out-of-state visitors drive across and walk on the bridge because of its uniqueness and simple beauty. Last summer as I was fording the river under the bridge with my two dogs, a young couple hung over the side and shouted, “Do you live near here? We’re from Charlotte visiting family and HAD to come over to walk across this old bridge. It’s just wonderful! You’re lucky to live here!”

Yep! And just recently I thought of a similar story occurring down river in Cowee over 200 years ago. It is recorded in James Mooney’s “History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees.”

When I was a little child, I was taught a prayer for children: “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep .... “

I recently received a modest inheritance with which I had hoped to start a small business. I am finding that after my various governments in Washington, Raleigh and out on Trash Dump Hill get through chewing away at it with their several building and other regulations and their “permit” fees, the business project is too expensive for me to undertake.

Since revenge is the Lord’s, it is now time for me to learn a prayer for adults.

I really have tried to see the other side of the coin, in this case a penny. I see NC education falling into a deep abysmal decline, due to a budget that caused a loss of professionals to meet the needs of everyone’s children. I see longer unemployment lines, and companies turning their backs on a state throwing their future away. I see faithful, NC educators, eventually, leaving this state to go to states that care about the children and the future. Whether you are a people person or a dollar and cents person or a blend of the two, it makes no sense, it makes no cents, because it is nonsense.

This is in a day and time when three years ago, not many people would stop to pick up a fallen penny (and many still will not). The estimated annual adult taxpayer cost for this penny tax is about $150, which is the same proportion for everyone: a penny to a dollar. Isn’t that what the extremists declare they want?