Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor | Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018

Ignoring a threat to every human being

What if scientists announced they had discovered a large asteroid hurtling directly toward Earth? If the whole world worked together quickly we could build a rocket powerful enough to intercept the asteroid and nudge it out of it’s orbit enough to miss the planet. Would we dither and deny? Procrastinate and miss the window of opportunity? Actually, we do have a “large asteroid hurtling toward the Earth.” It’s called climate change.

Dave Tucker, Riverbank

Honor the haircut, not the war dead

I’m writing in reference to our Commander in Chief’s no-show at the Aisne-Marne Cemetery, where thousands of our men who fought in World War I are buried. We must remember that it was cold and wet that day. We surely would not want Donald Trump to catch a cold or have his hair mussed.

Jim P. Matthews, Modesto

Enemy of people? Start with guns

Here is a fascinating exhibition of selective logic: The “opioid epidemic” has become very serious as the number of Americans dying from addiction and overdose has reached unprecedented proportions. Recently, a surgeon pointed out that part of the blame rests with over-prescribing the drug by physicians because, on average, only half of every prescription was used by the patient leaving the other half for – who knows? He suggested reducing the number of pills in each prescription would help. Very sensible.

We are led to wonder why that logic doesn’t apply to guns. A short visit to Google, searching “gun deaths by country,” will illustrate that the number of gun-deaths per capita in the U.S. is essentially proportional to the number of guns per capita. We are No. 1. Then it should follow that the way to reduce gun deaths, perhaps the only way, is to reduce the number of guns. Possibly there are so many “hardened gun supporters” of the NRA that the voice of logic is suppressed. Perhaps we have not identified the “Enemy of the People” correctly. Maybe it should be the NRA or their peculiar interpretation of the Second Amendment.

Joe H. Mullins, Modesto

Why do vets drive such clean cars?

This past Veterans Day celebration was complete with a multitude of free meal offerings from many local eating establishments. However, there is one additional local business that for the past several years has offered a special value to veterans, yet never seems to get mentioned for their great efforts. I’d like to recognize Prime Shine Car Wash for again offering a free car wash to all active duty and veteran military. Thanks for a great job.

Brian L. Lightfoot, Ceres

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