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Reader challenges new mayor to govern with care each of Columbia’s 107 precincts

Daniel Rickenmann celebrates with his wife, Laura, after being elected Columbia mayor in a runoff on Tuesday, Nov. 16, runoff.

“Nice” going?

So Daniel Rickenmann will be mayor of our city come Jan. 4. I hear he’s a nice man, but his campaign makes me wonder, what is “nice”?

Nice Rickenmann yard signs mushroomed in neighborhoods overnight. Nice businesses posted oversized Rickenmann signs along busy streets. A nice variety of TV ads were continually aired. A nice amount was spent on media buys alone.

Donors surely believed in all the nice things Rickenmann will do.

Meanwhile, dark money group(s) were so nice, they sent eye-catching mailers, sometimes daily, to make sure we saw their mistruths about Mrs. Devine.

Also, #Save5Points!, a “student wing of Rickenmann’s campaign,” provided a nice civics lesson. It ran students in a “party bus” from the Greek Village to the polls. Voting for Rickenmann was a vote to protect Five Points bar life, and, oh, yes, other city businesses (The Gamecock 11.15.21; The State 11.16.21).

Wouldn’t it be nice if Columbia could keep those enterprising students after they graduate?

True to form, Rickenmann was nice election night: “For me, it is about being the mayor for everybody” (The State 11.18.21).

Now, he needs to show residents of all 107 precincts what “nice” can mean.

Julie Lumpkin, Columbia

A lucky young man

I’ve tried dozens of self defense cases. The burden of proof is on the State to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did not act in self defense in order to sustain a conviction.

It is evident in the Kyle Rittenhouse case that the jury did not find the State carried its burden of proof.

Still, although not perfect, the jury system is the best system that exists for the administration of justice.

We have to live with the verdict.

Mr. Rittenhouse is a very lucky young man. The jury may have relied solely on the law and facts, but the defendant also had some assistance from an inept prosecution and a somewhat loony judge.

Congratulations, Kyle, but I’m here to tell you that you are not a hero as portrayed by the far right.

My definition of a hero is someone like General Colin Powell, Sen. John McCain, Rep. John Lewis and thousands of others who distinguish themselves in a cause or difficult situation.

You were a 17-year-old kid looking for trouble, and you found it. You were in a place that you had no legitimate need to be, and you were walking down the middle of a main street with an AR-15.

I’m not ready to accept any kid doing that, let alone anyone else under the circumstances you put yourself in.

Jack Swerling, Columbia

Banned books sell

When I saw Governor McMaster supported banning the book “Gender Queer” from South Carolina public school libraries, I threw back my head and laughed. I knew Maia Kobabe and her publishers were laughing too, all the way to the bank.

I became a certified school media specialist in 1989. Let me assure you the quickest and easiest way to motivate people to read a book is to “ban” it!

You can read this book for free by dropping by your friendly local branch of Richland County Public Library. There’s a waiting list, but you’ll get your turn.

Or you can do what I did, order it from Amazon. I collect banned books!

Michele (Shelly) Osier, MLS, Lexington

Missing the real paper

When I was growing up outside Manning, The State was delivered each morning in our roadside box. When I got tall enough, it was my pleasure to collect it. On Sunday, my father would spend time reading it. My mother would look at the engagement pictures. I discovered the comics. The many hours looking at them helped me to read. Most of my teachers were astounded at my vocabulary.

I later worked at The Manning Times, but eventually began a teaching career of 30 years in the Rock Hill School District, where I encouraged children to write.

The State was delivered to my door step for years. After retiring, I returned to Manning, and was able to get The State delivered in two days. That is until a few weeks ago when you said I would have to go virtual. At my age, that did not sit well, but my niece was able to help me. I can now pull it up on my computer, and even print the crossword puzzle. I also print the comics for a local family, hoping their children will learn to read and write well because of their exposure to those comics.

The feel of a newspaper will always stay with me. Thank you for a great paper. May it always be.

Mary Edith Eaddy, Manning