Letters to the editor | Wednesday, March 25, 2020: Stanislaus, Modesto leaders send wrong coronavirus message
Please keep us safe, Stanislaus county...
Re “Stanislaus County won’t enforce stay-home order” (Front Page, March 22): I am disappointed at the attitudes conveyed by our local officials with the exception of the Modesto Police Department chief Galen Carroll. I am particularly disappointed in the comments of Stanislaus County CEO Jody Hayes and Sheriff Jeff Dirkse. The comment by Hayes, “We have one confirmed case of community transmission, which is a much different scenario than what we’ve seen in other communities” is irresponsible.
The very reason for the governor’s order is to minimize the same scenario from repeating in other areas of the state. As my elected officials, I expect you to direct county and city staff to enforce this order to protect the health and safety of our community. This is literally a matter of life and death; please act accordingly.
Kenneth Bryant, Modesto
... and Modesto officials, same message
Re “Stanislaus County won’t enforce stay-home order” (Front Page, March 22): I was appalled at the cavalier attitude taken by Mayor Brandvold and Police Chief Galen Carroll regarding Covid-19. It can be summed up as, “Nobody’s croaked in my community, so not my problem.”
“This will pass soon enough,” says Carroll. The same type of language that dominated the White House and conservative talk shows that they have all had to walk back. The same attitude the millennials on the Florida beaches have — “It’s old people’s disease; not my problem.”
What will it take for these so-called leaders to realize that a proactive constructive stance — call it preventative political medicine — is the correct approach, one our Governor recognized, to reduce the risk? Do they need frightened lines waiting at hospitals to be tested, lines of coffins waiting for cremation, that Italy is drowning in? A friend or family member dying?
Their message to the populace: “We don’t really care about you — unless we’re forced to.” Shame on their tone deafness and lack of compassion for our community.
Claudia Walsh, Modesto
Young revelers: Think about others
A question to all the irresponsible young people on spring break, getting ready to board airplanes and cars to travel across the country: How can you so vigorously believe in and defend the science behind climate change and at the same time so flagrantly deny the science behind the COVID-19 pandemic? Incredible.
Jeff Burda, Modesto
Bee headlines must not mislead
Re “Stanislaus County won’t enforce stay-home order” (Front Page, March 22): Both my wife and I took this to mean Stanislaus County would not comply with Governor Newsom’s state shelter-in-place order. Instead of going negative on this, a better headline would have been “Stanislaus County working to comply with governor’s order.”
If the editors of The Bee are ever wondering why the media has such a low approval rating, negative, misleading headlines have a lot to do with it.
James Arnett, Modesto
Safety, conservation can coexist
As a compulsive hand washer, I am all in favor of people washing their hands, especially during this frightening pandemic. However, I also believe in conserving water, so it seems reasonable to turn the water off while you scrub your hands and turn it on again when you are ready to rinse. Hopefully a lot of people already do this. Wishing everyone good health!
Kymn McGrath, Turlock
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 8:42 AM with the headline "Letters to the editor | Wednesday, March 25, 2020: Stanislaus, Modesto leaders send wrong coronavirus message."