Tyranny of cancel culture

The greatest threat to your free speech today isn’t some Big Brother regime; it’s yourself. Self-censorship is when you refrain from expressing thoughts or beliefs that others regard as objectionable. Societal pressure to self-censor is pervasive.

Ash berries add to autumn colors

Autumn is a beautiful time to be in the woods, with all the leaves turning different colors. Adding to this beautiful array of colors are the bright red berries of the mountain ash trees.

More in common than just a name

Not long after coming to our beautiful town of Robbinsville, I logged online to get directions for a journey. When I typed in Robbinsville to wherever I was going, it sent me by way of Robbinsville, N.J., 734 miles away.

A child's dilemma, in one day

The year was 1948 and I was 12 years old. It was early fall and school had begun. Every year, we got new school clothes which included nice shoes, pretty dresses and a cardigan sweater.

Joe Biden stole the 2020 election

This column has nothing to do with whether or not the column’s title is true. The point of this piece is that I can say it – without fear of going to prison. It would be unethical to write something with no truth in it.

Search for Hare ancestors end

A recent visit by Robert and Deborah Oliver Felix concluded a 10-year search for their Hare family ancestors. Their decade-long search for information on the Hare family included a trip to the Cherokee County courthouse in Murphy.

Homecoming

Over a year ago, my colleague Matthew – pastor of the church I served from 2001-05 – contacted me about preaching at homecoming. I told him I was covered up and offered to come next year. Well, next year rolled around, and he contacted me and reminded me I was coming this year.

Is it book banning ... or is it safeguarding school kids?

“Banned Books Week” is next week. Today’s outcry over “book banning” doesn’t flow from actual threats to freedom of speech; book bans don’t exist in America anymore. One example of true book banning occurred in the 1500s.

Never stop asking questions

When I was a child, I was always asking questions. I asked so many questions that my dad, like many parents, would get tired of it. Now, as an adult, I am a journalist – and my curiosity and drive for answers has not faltered.   I am Ruby Annas, the newest staff writer at The Graham Star.

Land transactions had a lot of ‘Caractor’

Some areas of our local mountains have names that sound strange to some folks and are often mispronounced, causing certain places to wind up with different names – or at least different spellings. Such a place is Caractor Cove in the Santeetlah area.