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Keep children safe over holidays
Thank you so much for your dutiful coverage of the mass shootings in Las Vegas, Sutherland Springs, Texas, and the horrific tragedy in Antioch, Tennessee. These heartbreaking accounts of mass gun violence certainly capture the public's attention, and with good reason.
This year in Tennessee alone, close to 40 children have been shot with a household weapon. Fifteen children have died and nearly two dozen more have been seriously injured. These are sobering statistics, but, sadly, gun injuries and deaths tend to increase during the holiday season. A time that should be full of joy, relaxation and family reunions can become a nightmare if the proper safety measures are not taken.
We may disagree on gun laws, but surely we can all agree that if we can save the life of even one child we should. I urge your readers to take the time to ask friends and relatives about unsecured guns in the homes they will be visiting, and to insist that weapons be stored, locked, unloaded and with the ammunition stored separately. This simple step can be the difference between a safe, enjoyable holiday and a life-changing family tragedy.
Go to besmartforkids.org for more information and tips on how to keep children safe.
Sarah Rimer Moss, Knoxville
Americans need tax reform now
The fact that Americans spend 6 billion hours trying to comply with our country’s more than 74,000-page tax code is ridiculous. It shouldn’t take professional assistance for us to file our taxes, yet every year people spend gobs of money trying to comply with our current system.
This isn’t right, and something needs to change. We should be able to file taxes on a simple sheet of paper.
The tax code’s burden extends beyond individuals to businesses as well. Businesses in America are taxed significantly higher than in other countries. How do we expect businesses to create jobs for people who live here, and not people overseas, if it means less money? That’s why it’s the job of our lawmakers to simplify the tax code and lower taxes for businesses and middle-class Americans.
President Donald Trump and the Republicans in Congress are working together, and it’s time for Democrats to get on board and give American workers tax relief now.
Karen Brown, Republican state executive committeewoman, District 7,
Knoxville