COVID is ‘no longer about you’ and other Herald letters to the editor
It’s not just about you; it’s all of us
The new mask mandate brings people out to protest about having to wear a mask indoors. Our freedoms are being trampled upon by a power-crazed governor they say. The mandate was lifted, last spring, we returned to a quasi-normal life. People could choose to be vaccinated, many didn’t. Look what has happened! The pandemic went into reverse with the more virulent delta variant; many unvaccinated people are getting sick and infecting others. Our hospitals are overrun, and health care workers are exhausted. This is no longer about you and your freedom to make “choices!” It’s about us, all of us. This is a life and death situation. Wearing a mask is much easier to deal with than a ventilator! What you choose to do can seriously affect everyone around you. Those who can’t get vaccinated are put at risk by those who won’t get vaccinated! Children must get back to school. We need to surround them with vaccinated, masked educators, and the children need to be masked as well. Sitting around waiting for you to make your choice will give the virus a chance to mutate into something that defeats the vaccine. Wear the mask and get the shot!
Don Sebelien, Pasco
School board: put kids’ safety first
School board members have a challenging task, but with the pandemic, it is even more critical and more important. Our community is in crisis and we need strong leadership to create a safe school environment. Our children need to attend school in person. The only way to safely do this is for everyone in the educational setting to wear masks, socially distance, and, if eligible, be vaccinated.
Children of parents who do not want to follow the rules can be home-schooled or in online educational programs. If parents choose to ignore the rules, their children should not be able to attend school and potentially endanger others. All staff should be vaccinated and wear masks as a requisite of their employment.
Children need to be in school for social, emotional and physical health. It would be terrible to have school start and then have it closed. Yes, people are protesting the mandates to wear masks and to be vaccinated. That is their right. But they don’t have the right to endanger others because they don’t want to follow the rules. School board members must stay focused on safety for all, which means wearing masks, socially distancing, and getting vaccinated.
Marsha and Mike Stipe, Richland
Socialism, debt Democrats’ plan
Speaker Pelosi recently called the House of Representatives back from summer vacation, not to address the crisis emanating from President Biden’s Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, but to rush through a massive spending bill that will “remake America.”
Pelosi said, “A national budget should be a statement of our national values.” By examining the actions of this administration over their first 8 months, we can get an idea of those values . It would seem they want to destroy America with chaos, socialist indoctrination, identity politics and massive debt. From heartbreaking pleas of Americans trapped in Afghanistan to scenes of a southern border overrun – evidence of Democrats’ national values. Democratic governors, dictatorial in their prolonged “emergency power,” pronounce mask and vaccine mandates; murder rates climb in major cities that have defunded the police – more evidence of Democrats’ national values.
Through fear and dishonesty, the Democrats are selling out a free and prosperous America, fast tracking us into socialism and massive debt. President Biden says this spending bill is a “bring America back bill.” Nonsense! It will bring American to the brink of destruction. Who is willing to stand up against this tyranny? Stand up and be counted! It’s time.
Susan Bell, Dayton
Why weren’t we better prepared?
In our western states that have had fires burning for months, plans were made to be able to alert residents if the fires got close and they needed to evacuate. Residents are contacted by local authorities as the threat level rises so they can safely evacuate ahead of danger.
If our government can arrange those notifications, why could they not set up a system like that in Kabul? They had to have known for months that an evacuation was coming. They knew the dates, they knew who they wanted to help evacuate. Why was our administration so asleep at the wheel when the evacuation started?
Due to their ineptitude, we have now lost 13 U.S. military personnel and an unknown number of Afghanis from a suicide bomber. Why were we caught with our pants down when this all started? Why were we so completely in the dark about how quickly Afghanistan would fall to the enemy?
I expect when this is all over, a sham investigation will be done. The truth likely will never be known because they will be so interested in covering their butts.
Mike Lauman, Pasco
Byrd has passion to help children
Audra Byrd is an amazing mother who works hard to educate her children. I’ve seen the passion she has to help all of our children. The way she wants to advocate for families is so important to many of us who feel like we aren’t heard or represented.
I think the way Audra is standing up for our children and being open about what she stands for speaks volumes about her and her intentions of running for the school board. Audra will continue to fight for what she knows our school district needs to represent more families and what we truly want our kids learning about and being exposed to. Her humble nature will continue to impress those who want what’s best for their children.
Kait Stoker, West Richland
Call legislators about rate boost
Additional information to David Garber’s letter regarding Washington’s huge insurance rate increases. Upon receiving a notice for more than an $800 increase for the renewal I was advised by my agent the reason for the increase was due to our State Insurance Commissioner invoking a rule. I then discovered that he had tried to get the Legislature to enact this change as a law, which was appropriately rejected.
I then contacted our local elected state representatives as well as our state senator for assistance in overturning this unfair rule that punishes people who are responsible citizens regarding following laws as well as managing good/excellent credit through paying bills on time. This rule is highly prejudicial against this type of citizen in Washington.
Sadly, none of our elected representatives or our senator have responded to my request. Punishing people who maintain excellent credit is a wrong; that needs to be corrected. I was also informed by correspondence from the (Insurance) Commissioners Office that this rule is intended to balance insurance premiums causing those with great credit to underwrite those who have poor credit scores, thereby creating equality amongst citizens. I encourage those negatively affected by this rule to contact our elected officials.
Michael S. Cochrane, Kennewick
Open Letter to Rep. Newhouse
Stop bashing President Biden and his administration! Your weekly newsletters have been highly inappropriate regarding the Afghan pull-out. They contain falsehoods and misinformation apparently aimed at your district’s voters. If you and your associates have a better idea on what to do right now, share it.
At this moment of incredible national and international crisis because of the situation in Afghanistan, the administration needs constructive support from all of us in facing the challenge, not childish moaning regarding who is to blame, when it is obvious that the blame is spread far and wide, and covering a long period of time.
For example, the Trump administration had plenty of time, but little skill, at reducing the potential for a pull-out calamity. And what has Congress been doing to rein in the situation and protect the innocent during the past 20 years? How much money has been made by various contractors during those years, undoubtedly some via lobbying members of Congress? Put on your big boy pants and start worrying more about the country instead of your voter base.
Robert Peterson, Richland