Gov. Cooper should sign bill that allows guns at NC schools during church services

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Guns in church

Surely when Gov. Roy Cooper carefully reads Senate Bill 43, a bill that protects religious meeting places and has bipartisan support, he’ll sign it.

North Carolina law already allows firearms in religious institutions unless otherwise prohibited. This bill would allow law-abiding citizens with a concealed handgun permit to carry a handgun to defend themselves and their loved ones when attending religious worship services on the property of religious institutions that also operate schools, if the institution does not prohibit firearms.

The bill explicitly states that guns may not be present during school hours or when extracurricular or school sponsored activities are occurring.

Certainly the governor agrees that the people of North Carolina shouldn’t be forced to choose between attending places of worship and the ability to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Cathy Wright, Chapel Hill

Vaccine lottery

I believe a far better way to entice people to get vaccinated is to give $100 cash to each person who receives it, rather than $1 million for one person. There would be far more people stepping forward and that is the ultimate goal the state should embrace.

Jerry Clem, Durham

Vaccine incentives

It is amusing and disappointing to see the reactions of N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell and Senate Leader Phil Berger regarding the governor’s plan for monetary incentives to encourage more people to get the COVID vaccine. (June 10)

Folwell said bribing people is government overreach. Berger has “concerns” and said “folks should make a decision on their own, consulting with their doctor.”

This is just another example of inconsistent thinking when spending billions to subsidize business is claimed to be beneficial to the state, but offering incentives to individual citizens is frowned upon and opposed.

We as a nation have used government policies such taxes, agricultural programs, grants and many other incentives to move us toward a more perfect and just society. For some reason that philosophy starts losing strength as drifts down toward the individual person.

Leigh Hammond, Cary

Paying taxes

I grow weary of our legislature’s never ending efforts to cut taxes. I don’t like taxes any more than anyone else. But is it any wonder why we have underpaid and under-supported teachers, an actual teacher shortage, poor national healthcare rankings, inadequate policing and crumbling infrastructure?

Taxes are the price we pay for a civilized society. Is personal wealth the only thing that matters? Our government is there to pay for things we can’t pay for individually, like police and fire protection, healthcare, education and basic infrastructure for living and working. In short, we get what we pay for.

Robert Brown, Cary

The common good

Regarding “After NC battles, Rep. Deborah Ross tries to rise above the fray in Washington, D.C.,” (June 7 Opinion):

The key point made by U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross is that we as Americans must never give up on our democracy.

In what Ross said was a “cauldron,” a Capitol Hill that is both “terrifying” and dangerous, we must insist on truth in our negotiations and seek bipartisan unity in the promotion of the common good.

We must see ourselves as together on what ultimately matters. It is not the person on the other side of the aisle that is our enemy, it is the countries of the world that are actively, everyday, working to weaken our democracy.

Thomas Graves Jr., Raleigh

Affirmative action

Columnist Jay Ambrose’s definition of affirmative action is dead wrong. (June 10 Opinion)

Affirmative action is exactly what its name says. It means that employers take “affirmative action” to ensure that minorities and women get to compete for jobs.

It is used to help overcome the influence of the “old boys’ network,” which has governed the traditional hiring paradigm. Correctly implemented it maintains standards and avoids discrimination.

African Americans do not favor, and have not favored, quotas or discrimination.

Randolph Rodgers, Raleigh