Durham violence is out of hand. What the new mayor, police chief and council must do.

Durham shootings

Regarding “15-year-old Hillside High student among 2 killed in Durham shooting. 4 others injured,” (Dec. 14):

Those on the Durham City Council who’ve disparaged the police, cut positions and funding, and suggested that the only dangerous people with guns in Durham are the police, have given the city over to violence. We now have gunfights at all hours of the night and at the mall. Shameful! Hopefully, the new police chief, new City Council members and the new mayor can bring back some sanity and build back a viable police department, as well as continue to work with neighborhoods to reduce the violence.

Doug Johnson, Durham

Where are parents?

Two 13 year olds and a 12-year-old out at 3 a.m. in a stolen car? Where are the adults who are supposed to be taking care of these children?

It is not just about guns, but about parents/family taking responsibility for their children. Should these parents also be charged, as were the parents in the Michigan school shooting?

Carol Ruyz, Bahama

Masks in Raleigh

Regarding “Can Raleigh relax mask mandate and still be COVID safe? The mayor wants to find out,” (Dec. 11):

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin wants to see if the City of Raleigh can relax its mask mandate for gyms and small retail businesses.

It would be a major mistake to do away with the mandate, especially since we are in a holiday season when people tend to gather in groups. Additionally, we are already faced with the new omicron variant.

Getting rid of the mask mandate would be entirely foolish and reckless.

Robert Mulder, Raleigh

Dean Dome masks

Masking, along with frequent testing and vaccination, has led to a low number of COVID cases in the UNC-Chapel Hill community. Yet, before a recent Dean Dome event, it was only outside that a staff member reminded me to raise my mask. Less than 50% of the crowd inside was wearing masks.

Unless we take seriously the measures that collectively have protected us this far in the pandemic, we risk sliding back to mitigation measures none of us want to experience again.

Why not add more signs and announcements instructing fans to mask-up? How about a recorded request from Roy Williams for attendees to play it COVID safe?

Without vaccination requirements we are left to rely heavily on masking to help prevent COVID transmission as cases and hospitalizations rise. If we don’t play defense on COVID, we lose.

Dr. Jonathan Fischer, Carrboro

Lumbee tribe

Regarding “133 years of struggle: Lumbee have faced a long and winding path to federal recognition,” (Dec. 12):

The Lumbees cannot get federal recognition because the politically connected Cherokee tribe opposes it.

If recognized, the Lumbees could build a casino closer to population centers than the Cherokee’s operations in western North Carolina.

The Cherokee tribe doesn’t care about those families in need. All they care about is their casino income — and politicians will do the Cherokee’s bidding.,

Charles Maness, Raleigh

Republican Party

Regarding “Politics needs workhorses, not more showhorses,” (Dec. 13 Opinion):

Republican former Mecklenburg commissioner Matthew Ridenhour pointed to the failure of a Democratic Senate candidate to pass one piece of “signature” legislation in eight years in office.

It’s a phony measure of accomplishment. There are plenty of signatures on legislation that gerrymander districts, restrict voting rights, limit unemployment benefits and healthcare options, deny the right of municipalities to govern as they see fit, and dictate how subjects can be discussed in schools.

A Republican winner in next year’s Senate election would join the other “workhorse” senators of the Republicans Party who have voted with unity to block investigation of the attempted Jan. 6 insurrection. They have shown no interest in preserving free and fair elections.

Although they derided President Obama for “leading from behind” on the Arab Spring, they appear quite content to lead from behind to ingratiate themselves with the Trump-supporting base at the expense of democracy.

Irv Shiffer, Garner