FEEDBACK: No more talk on guns. We need action now.

To the editor:

The total number of children and teens killed or injured by gun violence nationwide since January 1 is at least 402. In South Carolina, during the same period, 47 people have died and 102 have suffered injuries from gun violence. (More: Gun Violence Archive.)

I call on the S.C. Legislature to make South Carolina safer from gun violence. Evidence shows that laws strengthening background checks and permit-to-purchase are associated with decreased firearm homicide rates. (See this study).

The Senate Judiciary Committee should vote NO on bill S. 449, which would gut the concealed carry permit system in our state and allow anyone to open carry without a background check or safety training. In Arizona and Missouri, gun violence has increased dramatically after implementing similar permit-less carry laws. (More: See this 2010 Arizona report and this St. Louis report.)

Further, we need action on S. 516, which was referred to subcommittee 10 months ago and would strengthen our 2015 domestic violence law. Mass shootings are related to domestic or family violence in most cases, and we need our domestic violence law to work better in terms of reporting and implementation.

No more prayers, no more talk. We need action.

— Kristin French, North Charleston, S.C.

Redistricting needs to be fixed

To the editor:

Thanks for that concise explanation of the serious problem posed by gerrymandering [Brack, 2/12], and some possibilities for solving the problem.

In my view, we’ll never get back to constructive democracy in this country until we fix the re-districting process, enact public financing of Federal elections and remove any impediments to voting.  The low percentage of eligible voters who actually vote in our elections should be a national embarrassment.

— Bruce Jayne, Charleston, S.C.

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