Welcome to our weekly column in which a topic of interest, piece of news, relevant opinion, or general request for feedback is presented. We’ll offer the topic du jour and accompanying question, and you have the opportunity to respond with your thoughts.
Simply fill out the form below. A collection of each week’s responses will appear in the following week’s column. To read last week’s responses, scroll below this week’s topic.
Publisher reserves the right to edit responses for clarity and publish online and/or in our print publications.
Please let us know your thoughts!
This week’s topic is:
Congressional Redistricting
This week, it was announced that Maryland’s General Assembly will likely hold a special early session in December to redraw the congressional district lines of the state. This is done once per decade, usually when the national census data is completed and available to the states. Currently, as has been in the past, there is much debate about how the lines are drawn and who (political parties) they favor or not.
Our questions to you:
Do you trust our state leadership to re-draw fair and balanced districts?
What, if any, suggestions do you have for the process?
Please share your thoughts by filling out this form.
Last week, we asked you about the Recent Police Reform & Its Impact on Policing & Crime and you responded! Here is a sampling of reader responses. To read more, click here.
This is not a simple "either or" problem. Yes police need proper education & training. Yes we need fully sufficient social services, job training, childcare, education, housing & nutrition for people who are disadvantaged. Police need to be able to keep us safe & hold law breakers accountable. But all of this needs funding. We won't be able to have fewer police until we've leveled the playing field and that takes money, rethinking the problems, active engagement of all stakeholders & community willingness.
As a community we need to practice active listening rather than telling people what they should do. What can be done immediately is training for new & existing law enforcement employees. Learning to communicate effectively with hands off their weapons might be a place to start. Engaging people before problems escalate by becoming part of the community they service would go a long way.
Priscilla Kania, Annapolis
There's a reason they are the thin blue line. What defunding the police is anti-senior citizen, anti-poor people who are trapped in criminogenic areas, defies reality and common sense. And, will further cause a proliferation of firearm ownership. "If the gov’t will not or cannot protect, Messrs. Smith and Wesson will!
Ray Modko, Severna Park
Our police need all our support during these very difficult times. If there is a questionable incident we should remember that there are two sides to every story and judgement should not be rushed. The last thing we need is for our police to be afraid to do their job to protect us and there is a lot we need protection from. Let’s be real and get out of la la land.
Julia Simpson-Jones, Bowie
