Views from readers: Voting laws + standing water + peace talks

Voting laws

Certain Republican state legislatures (not all) are passing laws to restrict easy access to the voting polls.

Their stated goal is to prevent fraud. Perhaps.

Democrats object, saying that Republican legislatures want to make it harder for minorities to vote by limiting access to absentee ballots, shortening voting days, limiting poll hours and removing voter drop boxes. Perhaps.

How will it all turn out?

Human nature (aka God’s plan) will encourage minority election interest and deepen minority commitment to vote.

Why?

Consider Britain’s plight during World War II when Hitler’s air force daily bombed London and Hitler’s army was on the shores of France preparing to invade. Sir Winston Churchill eloquently resisted and, with massive ally assistance, won.

Earlier still, consider the American Revolution of 1776. The British Empire lost the “The Colonies.” Unimaginable at the time.

Eighteenth century British essayist and philosopher William Hazlitt captured the reason why these legislative obstacles to broad voter participation will fail when he wrote: “Our energy is in proportion to the resistance it meets. We attempt nothing great but from a sense of the difficulties we have to encounter; we persevere in nothing great, but from a pride in overcoming them.”

Chales A. Boggs

Long Beach

Start talking

When the time comes that each of us can have conversations about race, invite those you know and their friends for a peace talk.

No weapons will be allowed, just the conversations that are long past due. Whatever your religion, place of birth or grandparents place of birth. No matter the place of the Earth you are from. Be respectful of one another. The hatred must end.

Racial inequality must end.

Start from where you are and start the conversations in your local communities. Business owners, urge these conversations. Chamber of commerce leaders, invite these talks in your area. Police officials, start these conversations with your officers.

Be patient as the process starts, and listen to what is being said. What you will be doing is resolving centuries of separation and prejudice. If this letter seems unrealistic, then you don’t want peace and security.

If you have a better way, then put that way into action. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired, give this way a try.

Today is the day. Now is the time. God is one, mankind is one. Religions have the same foundations of love, peace and unity.

Miguel Nicholson

Gufport

Get it fixed

The state Department of Transportation is responsible for U.S. 90.

At Cedar Drive eastbound to Cowan is standing water constantly.

Vehicles have to navigate to the center in order to keep from hydroplaning. This problem has been there since Hurricane Zeta.

The Gulfport Police Department is aware of this situation as well as Mayor Billy Hewes.

It’s high time this was corrected.

Malcolm McBee

Gulfport