Democrats want to unconstitutionally take over voting through legislation

Ross Ramsey, in a Jan. 18 column, highlighted two concerns he had about voting in the U.S. — redistricting and voting laws.

The Constitution requires redistricting by the states every 10 years in accordance with the census results. Those who have won a majority in their state houses redraw the lines. Instead of using the court system to stop what they consider unfair redistricting, the Democrats should try to persuade voters that they have better ideas than the Republicans. There lies the trouble for the Democrats. Their socialist, Marxist ideas don’t appeal to the majority of Texans and they cannot persuade them otherwise.

The Constitution gives the responsibility for voting laws to the states individually, not collectively in Congress. Each state determines how, when and in what manner its citizens vote. When Democrats don’t like what the majority of states have determined to be their voting laws, they try to unconstitutionally take over voting in the U.S. through legislation. The Democrats would do away with the Constitution while conservative Republicans fight them every step of the way.

Goad Mr. Ramsey long enough and he will admit to favoring complete control by Washington over every aspect of our lives.

Tim Melvin

Tyler

Don’t ban books; They can be enlightening, validating

Banning books is a promotion of ignorance. As a young teenager in the 50’s, I was ignorant of why I had “strange feelings” toward a girl. I had never heard or read the words “gay,” “lesbian,” “homosexual,” or “queer.” Oh how I wish I had had enlightening books to read as a teenager. I would have realized I wasn’t some freak of nature. You see, writers strengthen us, they validate us, they let us know we are part of the human race.

Let’s not lose the big picture view of who comprises our community. We’re all different and the needs of some members of our community might be very different than our own personal needs.

You may not like all the books in the library. I don’t like all the books in the library. But that’s not the point of a public library.

No book is right for everyone, but one book can make a big difference in one person’s life. As a teenager, I desperately needed books about gays and lesbians. I needed that mirror to reflect my image in the correct context. I needed that mirror to help me make the right decisions for my life. I needed that mirror to save me from becoming a shell of a person as I tried to be something I really wasn’t.

Authors never know who they will touch or reach with their words, with their stories. Those words may end up being perfect for someone in Tyler/Smith County.

Lou Anne Smoot

Tyler