Gerrymandering has got to go for sake of democracy, in South Carolina and beyond
Say no to gerrymandering in SC
I’m going to say something controversial: We do not have free and fair elections.
Read that again. We do not have free and fair elections. We can’t have free and fair elections while gerrymandering continues to run rampant across the United States.
Both parties do it, and it’s time for it to end. Politicians who want to remain in power draw the lines to make it easy for them to win reelection. It’s time for politicians to actually be accountable to the people — the voters, their constituents — instead of their big donors and the corporations who line their pockets.
I challenge any elected official who might read this: If you’re good at what you do, representing the people, then why manipulate the districts to your advantage? Surely your works alone will be enough to get you reelected.
It’s time for the people of South Carolina to wake up and pay attention to the gerrymandering in this state. It’s time to unrig South Carolina. Let the voters pick their elected officials, instead of the politicians picking their constituents.
- Ashlyn Brierre, Myrtle Beach
Police officer deserved recognition
I proudly served the citizens of North Myrtle Beach as a police officer from 1980 until my retirement in 1999. During that time, I had the distinct honor and privilege of serving alongside Detective Sgt. John T. McNeill. John was the epitome of a professional peace officer and, just as important, he was a good and decent man who served the North Myrtle Beach Police Department with loyalty and dedication.
Sadly, John lost his brief battle with cancer this past week. Many of his former co-workers and I attended his funeral in Myrtle Beach on Saturday, July 25 — many of us having traveled several hours to pay our respects to the man that we loved and respected. Also sadly, neither the city nor the North Myrtle Beach Police Department saw fit to send a single representative to his service.
Shame on you, city and police department “leaders.” You expect loyalty from your employees, while demonstrating how disloyal and unappreciative you can be to one who served you so unselfishly. You owe his family an apology.
- Ronald Thompson, Batesburg
Protect our environment, eliminate plastics
What a wonderful article (“To have fun and protect the Earth, throw a party that’s eco-friendly” by Helen Carefoot) appearing in the Sun News Coasting section on July 18.
Here in Horry and Georgetown counties, the Chirping Birds Society has supported a variety of community events by staging “zero waste” meals. I am happy to see that many of our ideas are in Carefoot’s article as shared by sustainability consultants and events planners.
The balloon issue is so important here in our coastal communities. Balloons can easily escape and be launched skyward and over rivers and inlets to wind up mistaken for food by sea life and birds. We have substituted pinwheels for some events. These are fairly easy to make using online directions. We have found that scrapbook paper has both the recyclable qualities and the bright colors we love. Be sure to use wooden or glass beads to get your spin and skip the plastic.
There is a somber note to my thoughts here. Dr. Shanna H. Swan’s 2020 book “Countdown” is a very readable account of the science behind dropping male sperm counts (human, but also across the web of life). This endangers the future of human reproduction and in part accounts for the sorrows of those struggling to conceive. There are other ominous impacts of plastic on living beings. The years of using plastic disposables have disseminated plastic particles throughout the biosphere. Please “throw a party that’s eco-friendly” and be a friend to humans and critters alike. Dr. Swan’s book tells how and why we can address this problem. Carefoot’s article makes the issue engaging and manageable.
- Grace Gifford, Conway/Myrtle Beach
This story was originally published August 1, 2021 at 6:00 AM.