S.C. ‘isn’t the Wild West,’ and there’s no practical reason for an open carry gun law
Open carry
I own guns, enjoy target shooting, and taught my wife how to shoot. I’m one of those gun owners who believes that it’s better to have a gun in my home and not need it than to need a gun and not have it. But I sincerely hope that I’ll never have a reason to point a gun at anyone, let alone use it. To me, it’s just common sense that anyone who wants to carry a concealed firearm in public should have to get a permit, certifying that they have been trained in gun safety. A car isn’t a weapon, but you have to be licensed to drive one. It’s a matter of public safety.
There is no practical reason to allow “open carry,” with or without a permit. It doesn’t make anybody safer, and is just a way for proud gun owners to strut their stuff in public, or to feel superior to unarmed people. South Carolina is not the Wild West, and we don’t need gun-toting civilians in order to keep the peace.
Jeff Koob, Columbia
Water contamination
2020 was rough for everybody, and I think we’re all a little giddy to be heading into warm spring days with a little less worry. What concerns me, though, is that other serious health issues have had to take the back burner.
PFAS, or toxic “forever chemicals” that have been used in everything from non-stick pans to waterproof clothing, have been found in unusually high levels on military bases like our own Shaw Air Force Base and S.C. DHEC has now found these toxins in our South Carolina drinking water.
As a mother, this is deeply concerning to me; these chemicals have been linked to serious health issues, including developmental impacts in children, immune system harm, and even a reduction in the effectiveness of vaccines, which is slightly terrifying just when we thought we had moved forward in addressing COVID-19.
Our state legislature needs to pass H.3514 and S.219 and protect our children and families, before the problem gets worse. We can’t afford to wait. I want to preserve this beautiful state and watch my child grow up in it having clean drinking water.
Katie Levkoff, Lexington
Daylight Savings Time
I believe Daylight Saving Time should be abolished and never to return. Taking an hour of our much needed sleep is wrong and I wish our governor and legislature would realize that DST is not necessary and is harmful to many. Also, our children should not have to go to school in the dark; that’s dangerous and unfair especially to the children in rural areas. Not to mention that the science shows that DST is bad for our health and it seems the only reason to subject people to it is financial. I don’t see how one hour will make a difference in the money to be earned because people will be outside with or without DST. I pray the governor will eliminate DST here in our state just as other states and even countries have. It’s not worth our health, so leave the time alone.
Judy Brown, Columbia
Anti-LGBTQ legislation
Shame on state legislators who attempted to push through bills that are blatant examples of horrible discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
Some tried to delete sexual orientation from a listing of protected classes for the Hate Crimes law (H.3620). Such action would’ve fostered an image that our state is choosing to continue keeping LGBTQ persons on the shadowy, unsafe margins of society.
If this hate crimes issue were not enough prejudice and danger to spread around, other dreadful actions are being legislatively sought.
The H.4047 bill makes a criminality out of the specialized medical care provided for transgender persons under 18 by physicians and other health care workers, like nurse practitioners. This severe assault on both the person in need and those providing the care is unbelievably cruel.
A further anti-LGBTQ undertaking is seen in H.3477, wherein transgender girls would’ve been excluded from school athletic programs. Such legislative action could harm significantly the needs that are so crucial in socialization. An increase in anxiety, depression and suicide could likely result.
As LGBT persons have so significantly gained their rightful freedoms, such legislative undertakings seemingly represent a type of backlash to furthering a continuing march toward an enduring hope.
Rev. Thomas Summers, Columbia