After Pensacola, Republicans need to realize it’s time to stop trusting the Saudis

GOP has been too trusting of Saudis

Once again, on the Republicans’ watch, a Saudi aviation student in Florida has engaged in profound treachery.

This time, a Saudi being trained to pilot our warplanes went on a shooting rampage on the U.S. base in Pensacola. Last time, after training at a Fla. aviation school, Saudi terrorists hijacked airliners and flew them into the World Trade Center.

Saudi’s practice and spread a brand of radical far-right Islamic extremism called Wahhabism. While it might on the surface appeal to those with right-wing puritanical leanings, Wahhabism provides a philosophical basis for global terrorism.

Wake up, Republicans! You can’t trust these people, no matter how much oil they are sitting on or how many Trump properties they finance.

Ed Hinson, Charlotte

Pitts misinterpreted AG Barr’s intent

Regarding Leonard Pitts “’Respect your local police’ — is that a threat?” (Dec. 8 Opinion):

I think Leonard Pitts missed Attorney General William Barr’s point. If people don’t respect law enforcement, with all its faults, then officers will find another line of work.

Why should anyone be put in a life and death situation, which requires split-second judgment, only to be armchair quarterbacked afterwards and make a relatively small salary for doing all this?

The police are not perfect and a lot more can be done to ensure no innocent person is killed by law enforcement. Until we can design robot officers, who act on logic and reason instead of prejudicial human thought, we’re going to have to live within the system we have.

Bill Hite, Indian Land, SC

Solution to partisan politics: term limits

Every move by a president is scrutinized to fit a negative, highly partisan political narrative, even when it aligns with the opposing party.

The Republicans vowed that Obama would be a one-term president. The Democrats have abrogated governing the country to instead focus on ensuring they do not lose to Donald Trump in 2020.

We can’t reward this behavior. Term Limits.

Don Schonder, Charlotte

City should get a cut of the action

Regarding “What Charlotte needs to get for its MLS money,” (Dec. 8 Editorial) and related articles:

Here is a novel idea: The City of Charlotte owns various properties that are used for sports and entertainment, so why doesn’t it get a “cut of the action,” some profit?

If David Tepper owned a piece of property that I was leasing for a concert — even if he paid $1 for it — I am sure he would want a percentage of the money that I made on the concert. He’s a good businessman.

Bill Lane, Polkville

Let MLS fans buy seat licenses too

Before agreeing to the millions that David Tepper is likely to request, we need to recall what the NFL Panther franchise cost the city.

Because of Jerry Richardson’s innovative thinking and the generosity of PSL investors, Charlotte contributed only a fraction of that amount.

How can tens of millions now be justified when the facility is already in place? Football lovers paid for that stadium and fans of the “beautiful game” shouldn’t get a free ride. It’s time for the soccer community to step up and purchase permanent seat licenses.

Ron Kretel, Charlotte

More action on vaping than guns

It’s sad to see vaping has caused dozens of deaths in our country. Because of this one S.C. representative is trying to ban the sales of vaping products in that state.

It’s even sadder and appalling that thousands of adults and children have been injured or killed by guns. But all we seem to get from politicians concerning guns is “thoughts and prayers.”

I wish politicians would proposed ending the sale of guns in an effort to protect innocent children from being slaughtered in our schools and streets

Lucy Grasty, Charlotte

Stop stonewalling on pipeline in NC

The writer is executive director of Consumer Energy Alliance of Florida.

“Offshore drilling creates these new dangers onshore, environmental report says” (Dec. 4) distracts readers from the reality of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Pipelines are environmentally friendly and 4.5 times safer than other means of energy transportation, like road and rail. The investment in North Carolina will also help the economy. The oil and gas industry is expected to create nearly 56,000 jobs, about 6,000 indirect jobs, and add $2.6 billion in state and local tax revenues over 20 years.

Enough stonewalling. We need this project and its economic and environmental benefits.

Kevin Doyle, Jacksonville, Fla.