It’ll take more than prayers to end shootings like that at Concord Mills mall

Wake up and vote for gun safety

Regarding “Concord Mills mall says fight started inside before 13-year-old girl was shot to death,” (Dec. 29) and related articles:

Gratuitous deadly gun violence — how is this acceptable on any level? We endure each aftermath with press conferences, prayers and pain like it’s a necessary cost of our Constitutional freedom.

The marketers of Concord Mills mall pitched it as a shopping mecca, North Carolina’s No. 1 tourist attraction. If citizens don’t wake up and vote for gun safety and decent civil protections, I see the U.S. rivaling the heyday of deadly Central American chaos — Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador — where thousands perished.

Shop safe, vote smart, y’all.

Chip Potts, Mooresville

Let our shared humanity define us

Regarding “Minorities can’t hide from comments,” (Dec. 26 Opinion):

In her op-ed Aleta Payne indicated that someone referring to people as “colored” was offensive to her. Growing up white in Miami in the 1950s, that was the term I thought was racially inoffensive.

Now, darker-skinned people from certain racial backgrounds want to be referred to as “people of color.” I see this as another ploy to divide us, as only heaven knows who it really refers to.

Why can’t we stop using categories to define us, and celebrate our common humanity?

Robert Parker, Hickory

My question about that ‘perfect’ call

The Trump administration’s rationale for putting a freeze on the military aid for Ukraine was the president’s concern that Ukraine is generally a corrupt country and we would be wasting our money. In refusing to lift it when urged to do so by his top national security officials, he reportedly expressed his continuing belief that European nations need to do more for European defense.

So, my question is this: On July 25 when he had his “perfect” phone call with President Zelensky of Ukraine, why didn’t Trump use that opportunity to tell him that he had frozen the aid for these two reasons?

Shirley J. Linn, Charlotte

Congress must also be held accountable

Regarding “Why Democrats really ‘hate,’” (Dec. 31 Forum) I agree with the letter writer 100 percent, the president should be held accountable. But so should House members and senators.

Ignoring the Constitution, its amendments or any law is not an option. Something may be wrong, but it should be complied with until it is changed. We “the people” have the power to drive that change. Hate is not the correct response. Reason and debate are.

Gary Caton, Stanley

NC lawmakers must pass a budget

Our representatives in Raleigh have yet to pass a budget. All across our great state, local governments and agencies are trying to do the best they can while folks in Raleigh write public letters blaming each other, instead of doing their jobs.

I am a N.C. public high school teacher in my 11th year on the job. Like every school system in the state, mine is working without a concrete budget. Many things have been promised. Nothing has been delivered.

We are divided — our counties, states, nation. That doesn’t mean you pick up your marbles and go home. You were elected to do a job. If I performed at the same level in my classroom, I would be sent packing.

I am held accountable to 27 different standards as a licensed teacher in North Carolina. Our legislators can’t even complete one task.

Cary J. Gluf, Concord

My plan for curbing robocalls

It seems as if we will never be free from the extreme annoyance of robocalls. This may not bother those with expensive technology who can effectively screen their calls, but many of us continue to answer the phone because we are expecting a call from the hospital, drugstore or family.

Our government continues to seek a solution, but to no avail. A modest proposal: Allow phone companies to charge a one-cent fee per phone call. This would be a minor charge to even the most prolific phone users, but a major expense to auto-dialing companies that make tens of thousands of calls per day.

Jim Williams, Charlotte

Panthers are going to be just fine

Many of us residing in the Palmetto State who love our Carolina Panthers are, like loyal fans elsewhere, disappointed in their performance this season. However, many of us also strongly believe that owner David Tepper is totally committed to building a championship team with all due haste. That gentleman will never settle for sustained mediocrity; he never has, and he never will.

Being average is just not a part of his DNA.

Ray Brayboy, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

This story was originally published January 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.