Views from readers: Connie Moran’s arrest + contacting local officials
Show compassion
I almost bought a condo in Ocean Springs when I retired on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
The promenade by the beach, the lovely dolphins that swim close to shore, the outdoor restaurants and the walker-friendly shopping district all suggested this town might be a perfect fit for my silver years. I had wonderful memories of the Mary C. Anderson Center. The year-round boisterous parades and festivals.
As a community activist, the bonus for me was my memory of Connie Moran, during her tenure as mayor. She inspired the community to take bold steps forward – years before the state as a whole realized it was time to move forward. We must let go of outdated mores if we are to be as prosperous, healthy and happy as this beautiful state can easily afford, given our abundance of natural beauty and resources.
But, having seen the Sun Herald’s detailed body cam recordings of Connie Moran’s arrest in Ocean Springs on the day she buried her mother, I am glad for the first time that I turned down the chance to retire there.
If those young officers dealt with Moran as if she were their own mother or aunt, I am sure they would have erred on the side of compassion and taken her home. This sad episode should remind us all that poorly trained and improperly supervised police hurt the reputation of the whole community – not just the victim under their control.
Rev. Dr. Marie DeYoung
Gulfport
The last word
Abortions prove all lives, even of the most innocent, matter not. God always has the last word.
Beyond those innocent unborn, lives of the born do provide varying contributions to humanity as a whole.
Our Constitution has been proven to be the best. Any law or guideline that positions an advantage of a law breaker over our law officers, or an enemy over our military, is a law or guideline against our citizens.
Eddie Holt
Long Beach
No response
Maybe the social unrest can be boiled down to neglect by our elected officials. Racial Injustice is just one symptom. When the elected/appointed official ignore questions or concerns by citizens, is it time to defund government, not just the police.
During the pandemic, I have written via email the Harrison County Emergency Management Agency director, our Ward 7 councilwoman, the Gulfport mayor, the Mississippi State Health Department director, the governor, our national representative, and both national senators. My issues centered around preparedness, hospital beds and ventilators, pandemic funding, and COVID-19 number discrepancies.
To date, I have not received responses from any other than some auto-response, “thank you for contacting me.”
No answers to the questions I posed.
What if taxpayers quit supporting government? Would they take the millions of taxpayers to court? Would the official become more responsive? Would they hear us? Lip service isn’t enough. Vague responses like, “thank you for sharing your concern” or “we’ll get back to you”, are not an actionable answers. It just puts you off.
Not having answers is one thing. Not even communicating is another.
Here is a suggestion as a voter. With this being an election year, start writing your elected officials with questions, not complaints. See if you get a real response. If not, remember they will want to get re-elected. If you get nothing but silence, make sure the next person to hold that position knows they are accountable to the people.
Rick Brown
Gulfport