Newsom and reclosing California: Letters to the editor, July 19, 2020

New closures were so preventable

Now Gov. Newsom has ordered a roll back on reopening — restaurants and bars to close . It is infuriating because it was so preventable. In addition to those who became ill with the coronavirus because of so many people’s refusal to wear masks, now so many are unemployed again! If people would use their common sense and common decency and wear face masks, we may have avoided this reversal.

Additionally, and just as infuriating, is Sheriff Mimms and other law enforcement agencies that have refused to do their jobs and enforce the mandatory face mask rule. These law-enforcement officers violate their oaths to uphold the law of California and they set an example of defiance. What kind of law enforcement agency does that — encourages lawlessness? If law enforcement actually enforced the law, more people would be wearing masks and maybe we could have avoided re-closures. What a sorry state of affairs.

Teachers, schools form our bedrock

As our schools struggle with the logistics of reopening responsibly in the fall, it becomes more and more apparent how fundamentally important the public education system, which is underfunded and undervalued, is to the economy of our nation.

Our educators are responsible for developing literate, critical thinkers (see the California and many other state standards) who can become productive workers supporting our free market, capitalist economy. Now, it is increasingly apparent that the educational system has a second vital responsibility: caring for and supervising our youth during the traditional workday so that workers can actually go to a workplace to get work done.

Parents who are working at home and also supervising and guiding learning for their children have learned how difficult it is to teach while simultaneously trying to effectively do their own work. We should all be looking at those teachers and educators who are often derided as ineffective in a whole new light and with much more appreciation.

Simply put, when kids cannot go to school, parents cannot work, and the economy stalls. Teachers, educators, and schools are bedrock to our nation and critical to the vitality of our economy – support them.

Bad apples spoil policing’s bunch

Just wanted to make a point regarding police brutality. First, I appreciate the hard work law enforcement personnel do. I cannot put a percentage number of the ones who do the right thing vs. the bad apples. The only thing I am sure about is that our president is the main person to blame because this guy is encouraging the real bad apples to follow their real instincts — the hate that they’ve had against us, the minorities.

I remember at one of his rallies him telling police personnel not be so nice on people being arrested; this is exactly what bad police officers were waiting to hear from big papa. Now everything went out of control. The only remedy to all this mess is we should pay attention to who we elect as our leaders in November, and remember I do admire the work from most police officers. I myself am part of the judicial system.

Evangelicals, Trump and hypocrisy

Don't let so-called evangelicals rule the day politically. Their religious fanaticism defies all logic. When you can say you are a follower of Christ, and support the racist and exclusionary policies of the current administration, I think it's time for a re-evaluation of what you really believe.

This administration is completely corrupt and all it cares about is getting re-elected and holding onto power. In my mind, Christianity is about principle if nothing else. Jesus a Jew, and a brown-skinned man, welcomed everyone to his table. Anyone who truly follows the teachings of Jesus would know that he would not approve of lying, cheating, and corrupting the ideals of truth and justice.

At what point do so-called evangelicals abandon their non-critical thinking and face the truth about their beliefs. Don't praise God and praise corrupt people and their corrupt values at the same time. These are two mutually exclusive ideas. Our democracy is at stake. Vote, vote, vote!

This story was originally published July 19, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Newsom and reclosing California: Letters to the editor, July 19, 2020."