Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s performance during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings made my life better. Everything I see about her is encouraging, and because she looks like me I can internalize her excellence.

I don’t know what impact she’ll have upon me in the long term, but hearing her during the hearing was edifying. She is a Black woman and I am so very proud of her, and by association, I am at least a little more proud of myself.

The phrase “representation matters” applies here. Anyone wanting Black people to be better will want her to be confirmed. They realize the potential impact that she will have on Black lives.

Supreme Court

We have all recently witnessed the process of confirming a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, one of the most prestigious and highest legal positions, a person who’ll make decisions that will affect the lives of most Americans.

Most of the questions seemed to be based on liberal or conservative ideology. Unfortunately, during the process there seemed to be a great absence of questions of truth, honesty, fairness and facts. Any circumstances based on these terms will always give us the best answers and make our country a better place.

When we speak of our Founding Fathers, I think they recognized that these terms should be the goals that we, as Americans, seek to be our guiding light.

Republican Party

Regarding “Madison Cawthorn and Mark Robinson are the new faces of the NC GOP. Are they its future?” (March 20):

Placing labels is a dangerous game. Political parties are not monolithic organizations represented solely by one or two people. That media-created illusion is delusional. And inaccurate.

The Republican Party is not a two-person pup tent. It has a big tent that rivals anything Barnum and Bailey ever had. And there is no circus inside. It is filled with a diverse population with diverse views who have a resolute focus on smaller government and protecting the rights of all citizens guaranteed by our Constitution.

Madison Cawthorn

Congressman Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina’s 11th District appears to be focusing more on conservative culture war messaging rather than on legislating and constituent services. However the majority of Cawthorn’s constituents feel about abortion and LGBTQ issues, they may focus more in the coming election on what representation they expect from their congressman - rather than what benefits celebrity status in the far-right media bring him.

Solar, Duke Energy

Regarding “Rooftop solar installers say Duke Energy’s proposed prices would kill the industry,” (March 17):

Duke Energy’s proposed billing scheme is a disaster. Duke argues that residential solar customers don’t use significant amounts of power and thus aren’t paying enough to maintain the grid.

In essence, they are calling someone like me who pays them each month and recently spent thousands on a rooftop system with no rebate from Duke, a freeloader.

If the proposal seeks to decrease peak usage overall and help reduce grid strain, why are only residential solar customers facing variable pricing instead of all customers? And If Duke wanted residential solar customers like me to help address grid strain, why has Duke always excluded us from programs intended to achieve this, like Nest Renew, Energywise, BeatThePeak?

Drilling for oil

Regarding “Let’s finally free ourselves from fossil fuel tyranny,” (March 14 Opinion):

Op-ed writer Paul Waldman absolves the Biden administration of shutting or slowing down the production of the oil and gas industry.

He hints at the real problem, writing that there are thousands of oil well leases issued by the government that oil companies are not using, as they are “focused on things like cutting costs to fund stock buybacks.”

What is omitted is that only a few wells will ever be productive, even with a more supportive government. With an administration hostile to domestic drilling, prudent oil companies who must look ahead many years are deciding to milk what they have now and profit from it, rather than risk drilling for more oil.

A can-do town

It’s incredible that $97 million of the $250 million Mayor’s Racial Equity Initiative came from corporate donors in Charlotte.

And last week, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott made a deep-pocket donation to Charlotte-area Habitat for Humanity chapters.

This is a miracle working, can-do town. Congratulations to the recipients of the funds, give it your all, “stick the landing.” These opportunities do not come around very often. I’m so proud that as a community, working together, we can right the wrongs of redlining, inequities and acts of discrimination.

I want to thank the business community, the “big shot” bankers, City Council, Board of Commissioners, and last but certainly not least, Mayor Vi Lyles. A job well done.