LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Your views on issues in the news, editorials and articles in your newspaper are welcomed.

Legislation

Synthetic drugs need to be stopped

Statewide legislative action is needed in the fight against synthetic drugs. As soon as a substance is controlled, someone changes the compounds to make it legal again. It reminds me of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s statement that “All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.” The news is filled with frightening tales about the problem caused by bath salts, spice and other synthetic drug threats.

Last year I introduced legislation to combat this threat. There are 65 co-sponsors to my bill; the fight against synthetic drugs enjoys bipartisan support in the South Carolina House of Representatives. Working with my fellow lawmakers and with the assistance of many involved in the law enforcement community, an important amendment has been crafted. This amendment is designed to keep our laws light years ahead of the criminals. Passage of this amendment to House Bill 3793 is a crucial step in making sure law enforcement has the tools it needs to combat the synthetic drug threat.

Let your voice be heard about the need for South Carolina to stay ahead of the curve with the synthetic drug threat. If your House member is part of the coalition of supporters of this bill, please thank him or her. Together we can make South Carolina safer for our children.

Anne J. Thayer

Belton

The writer, a Republican, represents Anderson in the S.C. House

Mt. Myrtle

Sand sculpture destruction ill-considered

Democratic women “stormed” Mount Myrtle and, in the words of Pogo Possum, “They met the enemy and they is them!” The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce used very little judgment by allowing any political activity to participate in the movement of the sand.

By doing so, and with narrow vision, along with the Democratic women they have released another political football to be kicked around.

Skip Hogan

Myrtle Beach

MLK parade

GOP leader’s comment disturbing

It was very disturbing to read the article in today’s paper about the destruction of the sand sculpture known as Mount Myrtle. I was not upset at it coming down. I was upset by the comment made by Chuck Ottwell, the South Strand Republican Club president. I was not upset he that said the destruction was in poor taste. I was not upset that he expressed interest in supporting the Mothers Against Violence group. What bothered me was when he added, “White people were involved in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade.”

What does the Martin Luther King Jr. parade have to do with the sculpture coming down? Why is he trying to stir up more racial division? Mr. Ottwell, if you are the elected representative of a Republican group and speak for the group, it tells me a lot about your group.

Edward Morgan

Pawleys Island

Pipeline

Why not build refineries where oil is?

There is plenty of crude oil in North Dakota, Montana, Alberta and Quebec and we want to build a pipeline all the way down to Texas to the refineries.

After the oil is refined they will convert it into heating oil and ship it back up north because down south we use heat pumps.

It makes sense to me to build some refineries up north in either North Dakota or Montana where there seems to be plenty of open spaces and save the money for the pipeline. They use gas and oil up north so why ship it from the south?

It makes even less sense for us to buy the oil from the Middle East when we have plenty of our own and create all the problems that go along with it. Let’s be American.

Ed Koenig

Conway

GOP race

Newt deserved win in state

My compliments to Newt Gingrich for his come-from-behind decisive win in South Carolina. Our country is on the verge of total and complete devastation. Who was it that under a contract with America, cut taxes, cut spending, eliminated our debt, and gave us a surplus, for the first time in 40 years? And by the way he reformed welfare, creating millions of jobs.

He’s like the rest of us; we’re human and we make mistakes and we ask forgiveness. None of the other candidates come close to Newt’s accomplishments. We need a problem solver who proved himself in the ninety’s to prove himself once again.

Frank Waddle

Little River