All should check their capacity for tolerance

It is time to find the silver lining in the Virginia governor’s debacle. Yes, Gov. Northam should still resign after his train-wreck news conference on Saturday, recanting his Friday apology for the blackface-KKK photo.

Growing up in Virginia and working for the first black mayor (Henry Marsh) of Richmond and supporting the first black governor (Doug Wilder) of the country in the ’80s, it was unconscionable to see this from a proven Democratic leader.

Northam’s 20-plus years of public service suggest he is a contrite, reformed bigot.

Unfortunately, he did not own it until he was forced to.

A mea culpa in Charlottesville may have saved him.

Now, he needs to fall back and show good faith in his successor.

The silver lining is for all of us to share our truths emanating from our homes and personal experiences. A contrite reformed bigot is far better than the extremes that we often see in our leadership and in the streets.

Bockerstette should be a role model with her ‘I got this!’ mantra

Amy Bockerstette, a collegiate golfer at Paradise Valley Community who has Down syndrome, is my hero when she shot par on the 16th hole at Tuesday’s practice round with PGA tour pro Gary Woodland cheering her on.

Gary said to Amy, “I heard you are a good golfer?”

Amy’s answer was, “Yes.”

Amy goes to the tee and confidently says with a smile, ”I got this.” She hits her tee shot in the middle of the sand trap in front of the 16th green, and says again, ”I got this.”

Hits it eight feet from the pin while PGA-tour pro Garry Woodland laughs and tells her what a great shot she hit and asks her to putt in.

Amy smiles and says again, ”I got this” and knocks it dead in the center of the hole for a fantastic par.

Amy taught me you simply look at the goal and not the obstacles, trust what you see, hit it with confidence, roll it and hole it.

Way to go Amy, you are an inspiration to let us all know golf is not rocket science but a game. See it, trust it, hit it and hole it.

Her performance at the Phoenix Open practice round is on social media.

Please watch it if you want to be inspired how much fun and easy golf is.

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The light rail needs to do a better job of connecting people to places

If those in charge of the light rail want to expand it, why don’t they think about a link going from the north branch over to the University of Phoenix Stadium.

Just think how many people would take the light rail from the airport.

The problem with the light rail now is that it really doesn’t go anywhere.

Look at the metro rail systems in other large cities.

They provide viable alternatives driving your car somewhere.

They connect communities but they also connect popular destinations. to

Provocative speakers are costing universities a pretty penny

I have to think that Grand Canyon University’s decision over politically incorrect lecturers speaking on their campus is financially motivated.

When Ben Shapiro spoke at the University of Connecticut, it required $50,000 in security fees.

Do you think GCU would want to pay that?

At least we now know what our First Amendment rights cost us Americans.