Letters: White privilege exists, Newhouse was courageous, no evidence for impeachment | Feb. 5

Thanks to the 4 who helped me out

I would like to thank the four people who helped me up after I had fallen. I caught the toe of my shoe on a parking block and did a face plant on the cement walkway in front of McCool’s barber shop in Richland.

The owner gave (me) a wet cloth to help stop the bleeding. Then some of her customers helped me up, found my glasses and truck keys and helped me to my truck.

I’m 78 years old and they did not hesitate to come to my rescue. There are still some good people on this planet and I found a few. Thank you all.

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Newhouse’s vote courageous act

The courageous act by Rep. Dan Newhouse to vote for impeachment of Donald Trump on Jan. 13 is no small matter. In firm and clear words, Newhouse stood tall in the U.S. House of Representatives to denounce an out-of-control president who inflamed a mob only moments before it attacked our nation’s Capitol and its defenders on Jan. 6. In so doing, Newhouse, joined by nine other Republican congressmen, voted to uphold our federal republic and its underlying democratic principles and values. He held true to his oath to defend the U.S. Constitution, to his conscience and to his principles. For that, we are grateful. Well done, Dan.

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He doesn’t follow Biden’s reasoning

Ten months ago (prior pandemic), the economy was strong. Unemployment was the lowest in 50 years.

Then along comes the pandemic, which has caused mass unemployment and undue hardship on people and businesses. People and businesses have been struggling and sacrificing through this tough time. Now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, there is hope for more jobs and the economy improving.

The thing I do not understand (is that) President Biden is doing everything he can to slow the recovery. His first day in office, he signed an executive order to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline. This automatically eliminated 11,000 +/- jobs, which automatically set the stage for gas prices to increase. One would have thought that he would have at least waited and let the economy recover more!!

I paid $2.29 per gallon of gas on Jan. 24 in the Tri-Cities. It will be interesting to see what fuel will cost a year from now ($3.00+).

We need to be doing everything possible to put more people back to work and hold costs down so we have more spendable income.

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Freedom must be tied with justice

In response to Dale Knowlton’s question (in his Jan. 21 letter): “How are (Democrats after voting for Biden) going to answer children ... when they ask, “What happened to all the freedoms you used to enjoy?” I would say my response will be, “We gave up a little freedom in order to increase the presence of justice in our society.” We can never be truly free as long as other members of our own society have their freedoms taken away because of racist, ethnocentric, Christocentric, or misogynistic attitudes.

Freedom is not only the freedom to do something; it is also the freedom from being victimized by certain attitudes. True freedom is a balance between those two types of freedoms. The “condition of freedom” in our country today is out of balance, so yes, I’ll be proud to tell my children and grandchildren I voted for Biden as an attempt to rectify the imbalance in our society in how it insists on emphasizing the freedom to do whatever one wishes as an expression of “individuality” when such claims are often a guise for an attempt to control social relations and financial resources. There can be no freedom without a consideration for what is just.

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Double standard on wearing masks

There was an interesting juxtaposition in (a recent) paper. One column criticizing President Trump’s supporters for not wearing masks as they left the White House right next to a picture of the new vice president, maskless, and on the front page President Biden’s entire family without masks.

Seems like a double standard no matter which president you voted for.

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White privilege exists — believe it

Because I was born white, male and middle-class, I grew up with nothing to keep me from becoming whatever I wanted to be except my own limitations.

Because I was born white, male, and middle-class, I belong to the only category of people in the United States who can claim that privilege.

Scott Wilson obviously understands the nature of white privilege, and his reasons (as reported in the Jan. 21 Herald) for opposing the reopening of Pasco’s middle- and high-schools are valid ones.

I urge everyone — particularly the teachers who advocate quitting their union — to read the Herald’s report through to the end and not respond reflexively to Mr. Wilson’s invoking the term “white privilege.” White privilege exists in this nation whether we admit it or not.

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Judges also can abuse their power

Tri-City policemen have a hard job to enforce all the state laws we have in a fair and equitable case in many strong emotional environments. We all love our freedom and like to be heard before we feel threatened.

Many situations involve minor infractions that become major cases due to a policeman’s command to, “Do as I Say.” Police have great authority and responsibility, for which they have our great respect.

Our Benton and Franklin County Court judges have similar great authority and responsibilities that give them high respect. My concern is that is one of our judges is abusing his position without adequate oversight. I have witnessed a case in court where the judge became invective to the detainee.

I observed such abuse when a judge issued an excessive fine of $5,000 to an unemployed individual and also required the detainee to install a costly ignition interlock device (Blow and Go) in his car for four years when the plaintiff never touched alcohol. When asked why the large fine and the device requirement, the judge’s power response was, “Because I Can.” 

Police are not the only profession that can abuse their power. Judges can also abuse their power.

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No evidence cited for impeachment

A reply to Jason Herbert’s op-ed of Jan. 21: You failed to cover that Newhouse signed on to an action without evidence. Newhouse, nine other Republicans and all Democrats tried and convicted the President of the United States without the chance of our president defending himself.

Pelosi continues to say Trump committed a crime. Hundreds of attorneys read the speech; not one place did he commit a crime. He told Trump supporters to March in peace.

It’s sad to see you, Jason, and Newhouse abandon the Republicans. I spent years investigating crimes and I would not and could not take a case to the district attorney without evidence. Unfortunately, all of you convicted Trump in eight hours without evidence or the chance for Trump to represent himself.

Full disclosure: I have voted for Newhouse, wrote letters to support him for years. Now Newhouse and the other nine Republicans will now be voted out. Jason, last time I looked, the East Side of Washington state is conservative. Newhouse is done here.

Jason, please answer this question: Would you, Newhouse or your family members want to be arrested without evidence and be convicted? I hope not; Newhouse needs to resign.

This story was originally published February 5, 2021 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: White privilege exists, Newhouse was courageous, no evidence for impeachment | Feb. 5."