Street preachers impose on Soda City atmosphere and hurt cause for which they preach

Protect market’s atmosphere

Before you dismiss me as an atheist, let me state up front that I love Jesus Christ. I’m “saved” and trust Him as my savior. I also firmly believe in sharing the Gospel; however, the street preachers who have taken over the Soda City Market on Saturdays are probably doing more harm to the cause of Christ than good, in my opinion.

With their blaring PA systems and confrontational tactics, my fear is that they are turning away people who see them as “haters.” At best, their presence is simply annoying and their shouting and cringy engagements with passersby make it tough to enjoy the market’s fun, family atmosphere.

City Council, please take a hard look at this as soon as possible.

We must find a balance here between free speech and the rights of the public to enjoy the market peacefully.

Jerry Grimes, Columbia

Bear hunting opposition

I find it distressing that so many bears are being killed in South Carolina solely for bragging rights and the display of their body parts as trophies.

Obviously, a majority of our citizens do not agree with this cruel practice.

Charlotte T. Brooks, Columbia

Balance the court

This is a scary moment.

This term, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments on some of the most consequential cases of our lifetime. These cases open the door to gutting gun safety laws, further rolling back a woman’s right to choose, and undermining clean air protections.

Our fundamental rights hang in the balance.

There’s a way to fight back, which is why I’m urging Congress to pass the Judiciary Act of 2021.

The Judiciary Act would rebalance the Supreme Court by adding four new seats, giving us 13 judges in total. It’s just what we need to move away from extremely partisan rulings and make the court a more unbiased institution — and it’s been done before. In fact, Congress has changed the size of the Supreme Court seven times already in our nation’s history.

It’s time for Congress to get on board with this crucial bill — before it’s too late.

Theresa Deery, Okatie

Bring back inspections

Remember mandatory car inspections?

Let’s bring that back! I bet insurance rates would go down, accident rates would go down, emissions would be less, and we would all be better off!

Peggy Batten, Columbia