Letters to the editor | Sunday, May 24, 2020: Modesto, Stanislaus leaders doing their best in pandemic

Government is not the church’s enemy

As a pastor of a church in downtown Modesto doing online services for 11 weeks, I can say that most of us are desirous to gather in person again. Even people in susceptible groups are saying “Let us gather!” God lives in community and invites us into that community; how wonderful when society realizes that need and even longs for it.

Some churches have sued government for the right to regather in person. My question: Should churches battle to regather? One might ask who we should battle against?

There is no enemy, other than a virus, here in Stanislaus County. I see our city and county as allies working every angle to protect residents and figure out safe ways to get back to normal life. I see a group of government leaders working harder than anyone to bring resolution to this crisis. Our local leadership has been connecting with every sector of society and working to safely restore normalcy as soon as possible. There is no risk-free situation, and a balanced approach is being thought through.

Balancing a beautiful desire to be back in community, while trying to keep residents safe, is no easy task. We are grateful to our leaders, and express our support and confidence.

Jim Applegate, pastor, Redeemer Modesto

Coronavirus and pollution

A positive result of the COVID-19 pandemic and worldwide quarantine efforts has been the effect on the environment. It does not appear to be a matter of dispute that during the last few months, the air is much cleaner. Parts of the earth that have not seen blue sky for decades are now able to observe what is overhead. I’m sure that everyone will agree that it is preferable to have less polluted air, land, and seas.

Believing Christians and others as well have wondered if God is saying something to us through the coronavirus. If it is not a judgment of God, perhaps he is at least speaking to us to make some changes in how we live. Could he be reminding us that scripture says, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof”? So the earth is not ours to do with as we please. It belongs to God, and we are accountable to him for how we treat it.

Elton Nelson, Turlock

Thanking COVID front-liners

My colleagues in nursing homes and assisted living communities are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. We work long hours to protect our residents who we view as extended family. It’s tough but incredibly rewarding work, and we are rising to the challenge.

Thankfully, we feel the support of the entire community, which is helping us overcome this challenge. At the San Luis Care Center in Newman, the local fire department has stopped by to thank us for our work and the staff of Mattos Newspapers has done the same.

I can’t express how much this means to us. Small acts of kindness go a long way and I want to thank everyone for supporting my colleagues and me as we do everything we can to keep a vulnerable population safe for this virus.

Joel Guron, Newman

Stores should require masks

While shopping at a Modesto grocery, story I encountered a family of four that included two young children. None of them were wearing face masks. We exited at the same time and their car was parked next to mine. As I started the car they gathered the children next to them, ensuring their safety. They saw a potential danger of their getting behind the car. Alas, they did not apparently see the potential danger of COVID-19, an unseen virus whose consequences are quite foreseeable.

I believe the severe lack of testing, leading to a lack of knowledge, has made some people complacent. The virus is in our community, among our residents, but no one has accurate data. Stores should require face masks for customers and employees.

Less social distancing leads to a higher death rate, which is 24 per 100,000 for the U.S. but nine per 100,000 for Denmark. New Zealand did a 30-day stay in place and has single digit cases. Everyone needs to look at the methodology used to lower the death rate or decide how many are allowed to die to reopen businesses.

Gary McDowall, Riverbank

Be courteous in reopening

We’re about to leave the lockdown behind and let history sort out whether this has been a true necessity or an expensive overreaction. Whatever your thoughts on that, the money has been spent and the piper will be paid in the only currency acceptable: hard work, productivity, capitalist expansion — you know, the lifeblood of our country and California in particular.

We seem to have fallen into a sort of trance, probably unavoidable when being told to stay home and do nothing but consume. Soon the wheels will be turning at full speed again and we need to be particularly responsible and especially courteous. Kids need to wear helmets on bikes, scooters and skateboards. People need to control their animals. Drivers need to wake up and stop running red lights, sleeping through green ones and start using their turn signals again. Like it or not, we live in a fast-moving, perilous society and one should behave responsibly, predictably and with purpose.

Welcome back to California in 2020. If you like the way it’s been for the past two months, maybe it’s time to look elsewhere for your solitude.

Marty Miller, Modesto

Perfect time to upgrade schools

Re “Timing of improvements at city schools ‘couldn’t be better,’ officials say” (Front Page, May 15-16): The list of improvements at Modesto City Schools, especially those creating single point of entry, will help prevent two-legged enemies from entering. However, there is a new, more pervasive and virulent enemy that has the ability to penetrate every space inside the schools — the COVID-19 virus.

Now is a good time to review heating and air conditioning systems to give each classroom its own air flow system separate from other areas. Hospitals all over the country did massive revisions of hospital rooms to create negative flow systems, to prevent cross-contamination through air ducts. Such an upgrade in air flow will allow teaches to feel safer, not just parents who drop kids off outside the gates. Also, consider purchasing high-tech mobile UVC equipment to sanitize hallways and other common areas like cafeterias.

Modesto has a chance to lead the charge and be a model for the nation. I cannot think of a wiser, healthier and more proactive use of Measures D and E bond money.

Robert LeFevre, Modesto

GOP leadership is lacking

Re “Savvy Stanislaus supervisors placate political base, sidestep responsibility” (Page 6A, May 14): As usual, I agree with The Bee editorial board concerning their reaction to our county supervisors’ irresponsible and complicit opening of businesses. However, the “sidestep from responsibility” is too weak-kneed.

The continuing difficulties our county is mired in is a direct outcome of the simple truth that our leaders are part of the new Republican mediocrity. Nationwide, the counties and states that ranked as the poorest monetarily, educationally and socially are administered by Republicans.

Stanislaus County unfortunately suffers from the same lack of responsible, visionary leadership. Their vision is closed, reactionary and archaic. The fact that Mayor Brandvold recently supported Ted Howe’s contention of innocence for diabolical social media remarks is a perfect example of duplicitous irresponsibility.

Irresponsible action is the hallmark of Republican leadership. They follow Trump’s abysmal, chaotic social and environmental lead and they defy the honest efforts of Governor Newsom to save lives regardless of social or political status.

Remain relatively isolated and safe, fellow citizens; mark your actions with restraint and care.

Tim Buchanan, Modesto

Don’t lump groups together

Re “Anti-vaccine crusade finds new allies amid pandemic” (Front Page, May 18): I once again am very disappointed with the partisan nature and misleading implication of this morning’s headline.

The article describes anti-vaccine advocates standing “shoulder to shoulder” with Make America Great Again and Second Amendment advocates, as if the two latter categories widely believe in the anti-vaccine movement. It is intellectually dishonest and misleading to make that association. If you were to investigate more thoroughly and specifically I think you would find the MAGA and Second Amenders have little statistical commonality with anti-vaccine people, and most Second Amenders and MAGAs widely and whole-heartedly believe in vaccinations.

It’s a shame this kind of untruthfulness happens routinely. I resent you allowing someone with their own agenda to group me wholesale in with such an ignorant fringe group.

Allan Ramsay, Modesto

Accommodate the selfish

Rather than creating confrontational situations, retailers should be looking for simple solutions to avoid them.

Many stores set aside the first hour for their “at risk” customers. Why not set aside the last hour for all those inconsiderate, self-centered shoppers who would rather risk their lives and those of their loved-ones rather than risk messing up their hair? Employees could immediately go through the store and thoroughly disinfect it one time.

A consistent policy about a wearing mask would make the shopping experience more predictable and pleasant for everyone.

David Ablett, Modesto