Readers write

Redistricting can leave some disenfranchised

Re: “Make electoral districts impartial by law,” by Robert Wittenstein, May 13.

Much is in the news these days about congressional redistricting. Kudos to the gentleman who suggested in his May 13 letter a constitutional amendment requiring districts to be impartial, non-discriminatory and in accordance with geographical contingencies.

In the last redistricting, a little slice of Gwinnett County was moved from District 7 (Duluth/Lawrenceville) to District 3 (East Point on the opposite side of the metro area). This left the former essentially disenfranchised. The late U.S. Rep. David Scott, D-District 13, was never present or interested in Gwinnett.

Our Constitution stipulates that districts must be equal in population and protect against racial discrimination. Let’s hope our legislature keeps this in mind in its next redistricting.

ANN HOWELL, BRASELTON

South has always used race to draw districts

It’s true that most southern states drew voting districts based on race.

These days, Republicans are redrawing voting districts by slicing up Black plurality and majority districts, by redrawing entire states with no district having a significant voting leverage for Black people or minorities, and (as some of our Georgia representatives have put it) to be sure that the House has representatives that reflect the state and not “special interests.”

In other words, current redistricting is being done on the basis of race: to make sure that Black citizens and minorities have no electoral power.

Sounds like a court case to me.

EDWARD JACOBSON, DECATUR

Gas prices, inflation will continue to rise

A quick economic lesson here. The Iran War holds the Middle East’s oil exports hostage. America remains the world’s largest producer of oil/gas.

The price we pay at the pump has nothing to do with American oil productivity. That’s determined globally. American oil companies reap huge profits by selling oil and gas abroad.