Take partisanship out of drawing district lines

I read the following quote in the Salisbury Post on Saturday. “The governor-elect should understand better than anyone why North Carolinians deserve a system they can trust will settle election outcomes fairly and without the taint of partisanship.”  You are absolutely correct.

The very foundation for this whole process is the ability for every N.C. voter to have a voice. Our system has been gerrymandered to the point that many are discouraged and do not vote. Rowan County is so badly drawn that Carl Ford ran unopposed.

I brought this up to Lt. Gov. Dan Forest and his response was, “The Republicans are not as bad as the Democrats.”  How’s that for deep thought?

Other states have recognized the need to have independently drawn voting districts. North Carolina is no longer a two-way split between Democrats and Republicans, as one third of all voters are registered as unaffiliated.

When will the North Carolina Legislature step up and authorize a non-partisan voting district process performed by independent individuals?

— Eric Marsh

China Grove

Bring HB2 issue home

I think a most impressive demonstration would be if transgender people dressed in their finest and,  armed with their birth certificates, went to Raleigh when our esteemed legislators next meet and hang out in the bathroom of their birth. It may just be the “bigger 2×4” that is needed to demonstrate how utterly ridiculous HB2 is.

Unfortunately, the legislators probably have private bathrooms and don’t use the public restrooms. Even better would be for the Capital Police to be charged with harassment for arresting the “handsome” guy in the ladies restroom or vice versa!

— Dwayne Dvoracek

Salisbury