America’s factions, Clint Didier, COVID shot, and other Tri-City Herald letters
Many factors split us into factions
I enjoyed (and agreed) with General Mattis’s Thanksgiving piece, “Divisiveness is America’s greatest threat.”
If I may, I’d like to add a few other “threats.”
They are all related, and cause, and/or are caused by others.
1. Refusing or being unable to talk with those we disagree. Often this is when conversation is the most important.
2. Loyalty to person, party, money over country or Constitution.
3. Preferring to assign “blame” for, rather than find a “solution” for a problem. Then, there’s the “unappealing” process of applying it.
4. Ignoring proof/evidence or reasoning. “Because I (or someone else) says so,” is not enough. This leads to the loss of jurisprudence, science and civilization.
5. Heeding poor sources of information. Choosing the “exciting” rather than the “reliable” and what confirms rather than what informs.
6. The religification (culting?) of politics. You, your group, and your leader are wise, and good, while those who disagree or oppose you are the opposite. Everything must be done to see that we succeed and they fail.
7. The discrediting of voting, both by those who “don’t bother,” and those who seek to control it, or cheat.
8. Unfairness. double-standards, inequality, etc.
D. L. (Andy) Anderson, Richland
If you’re eligible, just get the shot
The Mayo Clinic shares that it is best to “get the facts” when deciding if you should get the COVID-19 vaccine. The Mayo Clinic and what appears to be every top-rated medical facility in the world is recommending COVID-19 vaccines for those who are eligible.
The two COVID-19 mRNA vaccines currently being offered and recommended to most are based in part on research developed in the 1970s.
The vast majority of those in hospitals being treated for COVID-19 and those dying from the virus have been the unvaccinated.
The refusal by many to get the vaccine and practice mask wearing has unduly extended the impact of this pandemic and is contributing to the development of virus variants.
Medical resources being dedicated to COVID-19 treatments are creating healthcare shortages and taking away from other medical emergencies. I have personally seen these shortages and have spoken with medical professionals on the frontline, with some sharing they may leave their jobs.
We should do what we can to knock down this virus and help our medical professionals. We should also thank our medical professionals for their selfless service despite many who are not doing all they can.
Robert D. Marple, Richland
Nominate Didier for Darwin Award
Are you kidding Clint Didier? You compare yourself to Rosa Parks who also lived in a free country where individual liberty reigns? Rosa Parks who fought against racial injustice and segregation? Rosa Parks who fought for civil liberties and rights for all? Have Clint Didier and others ever thought that because of Rosa Parks, we as a society have been granted more civil rights? What about the rights of people who may have a medical condition (as does Didier) or are trying to protect somebody else who has a true medical condition?
Keith Johnson ‘s response, “County has reasonably maintained an adequately safe working environment for our employees and adequately protected the public from harm as well” and the one-size-fits-all it’s against the Constitution is just another way of saying Didier is a bully and we are afraid of him.
God bless our freedom fighter Clint Didier! I think I will nominate him for a Darwin Award.
April Nishioka, Richland
Biden voters: Did you this want this?
I am positive that all who sincerely voted for Mr. Biden are disappointed with the anti-American agenda his administration has unleashed on the American public and economy. You can’t blame Trump for any of this. The hate-promoting current administration failure is glaringly apparent. Failed governments all act the same. Blame everyone else and accept no responsibility for their failure. It insults the intelligence of every U.S. citizen and taxpayer, how the Biden administration is hell bent on transforming our great nation into a third-world country.
Government overreach has pushed us to the breaking point. If you think it can’t get worse, then re-study history. Is this what you had in mind when you voted for Joe? A government that’s impotent? Broken supply chain, illegals pouring into the country bringing disease, drugs, human trafficking and God knows what else with them. This is beyond left or right, this is downright criminal. Do you actually believe in canceling your neighbors and friends? Is this what you dreamed of when you vote for Joe? $6 a gallon gas? Inflation? Food prices gone crazy? COVID forever? Mandate after mandate? Come 2022, the real reset begins.
Gerald Snowden, Pasco
How does Texas suicide law apply?
I find an alternate view of the COVID-19 immunization conflict to be thought provoking. If a person refuses to be vaccinated and subsequently contracts COVID and dies, one can argue that at the very least a version of “Russian Roulette” is being played, with suicide the worst possible result. Given the position of Texas lawmakers in supporting “choice” for being vaccinated, Texas laws on suicide are informative. One such law says, “A person is justified in using force, but not deadly force, against another when and to the degree he reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to prevent the other from committing suicide or inflicting serious bodily injury to himself.”
The Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission {2010) granted personhood to corporations, thereby seeming to allow them to pursue immunization mandates in an effort to deter anti-immunization suicide. I argue that the federal government, in such a situation, can similarly be considered legally a “person.” How does that square with anti-vax enabling laws? Something to think about.
David King, Richland
Local reporting sorely needed
Local reporting is crucial, but sadly our Tri-City Herald now plays a much smaller role in preserving our democracy. Its decline is evident in the Dec. 8 issue. It contained only four locally written news stories. Credit for these few goes to Cameron Probert and Kristen Kraemer. Reporters are good. Under-reporting local government activities is pernicious and harmful.
Newspapers have been long trusted because they are held more accountable for content than other sources. Support them. Web sources “not so much.”
Fake news has eaten at the core of our democracy by building mistrust, crucially against responsible news sources. These are authoritarian-rule tactics. Republican legislator (Dan) Newhouse supported the Big Lie claim that our last presidential election suffered significant voter fraud. This was a traitorous violation of his oath of office. Congressional calls for his (and others) removal were quenched by one-party-government-seeking Republicans.
Polls show today’s Republican officeholders do not represent most of their party.
Many Republican voters must join Democrats if we are to oust the current cabal of elected Republicans. More consensus-seeking Republican office-seeking candidates will soon enough come forward, after its far-right wing is made insignificant. Conservatism is now associated with fascism, and it need not be so.
Ivar Husa, Richland
Let’s not push growth too hard
Dear Tri City business development organizations: Please stop for a while. The Tri Cities are growing much too fast. Are you trying to make us like Seattle? Please don’t! This is a wonderful place to live now, but I fear that we will grow too much and start to have the problems that Seattle and Portland have. No thanks!
Jim Homan, Richland