Reedley lab closure shouldn’t lead to unnecessary regulations for rule-following labs | Opinion

No unnecessary regulations

“Chinese-owned lab was in Tulare before Fresno, then Reedley. What happened inside?” (fresnobee.com, Aug. 9)

As chair of the Libertarian Party of Fresno County, I want to speak out strongly against the proposed imposition of new regulations on research labs. This is being suggested in the wake of the news of the investigation and closure of a lab in Reedley.

We know from the failed alcohol prohibition experiment in the ’20s that criminals are not stopped by more laws; rather, otherwise law-abiding citizens are turned into “criminals.” This research lab was run by those who had no intention of following already established laws, regulations and research standards. As a biochemist, I am very aware of what these standards are, and I have been shocked to learn of such suspicious and apparently dangerous activities in our backyard.

A new county law to register a lab or give county bureaucrats more power will deter small, innovative STEM startups. Such startups have inherent incentives to operate ethically and safely in order to build their brand and attract investors and customers. Red tape will make them look elsewhere, while doing almost nothing to detect and deter those willing to break the law anyway.

Kat McElroy

Fresno

¿Por qué no los dos?

“Pickleball is just a trend, soccer is here to stay in Fresno,” (fresnobee.com, Aug. 6)

Fresno Bee reader Jonny Navarro believes that because we need more soccer fields, we shouldn’t build pickleball courts. Why can’t we have both?

We are both a soccer family and a pickleball family. My grandson plays for the Fresno Heat soccer club, and just about every night there are a number of youth soccer teams practicing the beautiful game on several fields at West Fresno Junior High. But are my grandson and his friends more deserving of recreation than me and my fellow geezers who play pickleball three or more times a week to try to keep our creaky bodies active and healthy?

This sport Navarro calls a “fad” is helping keep us alive. Visalia, Selma, Fowler and other Valley towns have dedicated public pickleball courts, but Fresno (with upwards of 1,000 players of all ages) has — let me count — none.

Let the kids play. And their grandparents, too.

Ken Robison

Selma

Climate reality

“Central Valley congressman calls for more water storage, less environmental regulation,” (fresnobee.com, April 11)

Congressman Tom McClintock’s latest letter to his constituents explains the importance of “not hamstringing the economy with climate regulations.” He explains that we have experienced warm periods and major ice events before. But this is not the complete picture. Our planet has always gone through changes in climate, however, these changes in climate historically took hundreds of thousands to millions of years.

The drastic changes happening now have taken place over the last hundred years or so and have brought about an increase of 2°F. This has occurred, for the most part, due to human-caused fossil fuel emissions. As a result, we are spending billions of dollars addressing the havoc that resulting extreme weather events have caused.

In addition, the deadly effects to our health from these emissions costs us billions each year. Green energy solutions such as wind, water and solar technologies have the ability to create jobs, help our economy grow and make us a major player in the world of green energy production. We all need to understand what must be done.

Most importantly, without intelligent, informed action from members of Congress, we will live on a planet that will be very difficult to inhabit.

Lesa Schwartz

Fresno

Make Republicans honest again

“House conservatives threaten to shut down Homeland Security,” (fresnobee.com, Aug. 10)

Republicans used to stand for honesty and the rule of law. Our congressman, Kevin McCarthy, is following in Donald Trump’s footsteps by misrepresenting facts. McCarthy is trying to undermine our justice system and the rule of law.

It seems that if you lie often enough you can change the facts. Trump’s own handpicked cabinet members say he is unfit for office. Trump was recently indicted for his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, yet McCarthy continues to protect him.

Now, instead of focusing too much on Trump, McCarthy wants to turn the public’s attention on Biden. But to do so, he can’t just make vague statements about Biden. He has to put out factual information. McCarthy claims, for instance, that the Department of Justice has been weaponized, yet it was Trump who tried to change the leadership of the DOJ and appoint a leader who would lie about the 2020 election.

It would best serve the Republican Party and the nation if McCarthy would stop protecting Trump. It would be refreshing to see a Republican candidate with honesty and integrity again.

Allen M. Rush

Fresno