Letters to the editor | Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021: Please, do it for the children
Get vaxxed, wear masks — for children
Must we wait until more children die to take this pandemic seriously?
The shop owner’s adorable granddaughter flitted around the store when I arrived. The owner was not wearing a mask, and her comments indicated she probably was not vaccinated either. I responded that cases are increasing and we need to get this under control. I wish I had said, “I am vaccinated but am wearing a mask because I could be a carrier of COVID-19. I would not want to give it to anyone who is vulnerable, especially not to the children who cannot yet be vaccinated.”
Last week, COVID-19 cases in children increased significantly and pediatricians are concerned. In July, there were 352 COVID cases among children in Stanislaus County. Over the past 16 months, 63 children in Stanislaus County have been hospitalized due to COVID. In the U.S., 358 children have died of COVID. Many more have developed long COVID. That adorable granddaughter deserves consideration. If you won’t get immunized and wear a mask to protect yourself and your neighbors, please do it for that cute little girl with the huge bow in her hair and all the other precious children out there.
Carolyn Waggoner, Oakdale
A plea to drive safely
In the last few weeks there have been three fatal hit-an- runs that I have read about in The Bee. (A victim’s) mother happens to live at the same senior community as my mom and I had the sad opportunity to see the family gathered and grieving.
All three of these drivers knew that they hadn’t just run over an inanimate object or an animal — it was a person. I assume they also knew what we all were also tested on by the DMV — pedestrians in California have the right of way. They made the poor choice to drive off and not face the consequences of their mistake. No one is saying they hit someone on purpose, but perhaps they were driving too fast, driving distracted or under the influence. Whatever the circumstance, I hope they all do the right thing and come forward.
I also hope the rest of us drivers out there take heed. We all need to pay closer attention to the pedestrians and bicyclists. There are a lot of them — and in California, they have the right of way.
Marnie Bradford, Modesto
Casey best for Ceres Council
What world is The Modesto Bee editorial staff living in when they say Laurie Smith is “head and shoulders” more qualified than James Casey for Ceres City Council?
Mr. Casey has real-life experience serving in the U.S. Army and building a successful business in Ceres. What Ceres needs is leadership, not bureaucratic speak and lecturing from The Bee claiming they know best for Ceres. I shouldn’t be shocked because it makes sense that The Modesto Bee would endorse a Modesto city employee who has spent her career working in Modesto government, while shaming two Ceres business owners who have built businesses in Ceres. Voters in District 1 have an extremely qualified candidate who knows what it’s like to meet the payroll deadline and has signed both the front and back of the check.
Lucy Hood, Ceres
Back to school wishes
Blessings to all teachers across the country, especially those in Stanislaus County, for a hopeful year of reading, writing, thinking, and the ever-present sense of wonder!
Stephen L. Reddy, Modesto
COVID shots = common sense
Our physical body is the structure that houses, nourishes, and protects our spiritual self. Common sense is the element that integrates mind and body in the safest possible way. With this thought, I marvel at how an incredible scientific achievement of the mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 is being ignored by so many of my fellow citizens.
Perhaps they never read the story of the big bad wolf and the three little pigs. The wolf blew down the straw and stick houses but failed against the brick house. Likewise a storm cellar offers protection more than a mobile home when a tornado is bearing down.
Let common sense prevail. Vaccines are the bricks and mortar to strengthen your physical house against the huffing and puffing of this tornadolike virus. Without reinforcing your immune defenses your spiritual self is naked and it will be blown away for all eternity.
Robert LeFevre, Modesto
Minimal downside to vaccine
People who do not want to receive a COVID-19 vaccination note that vaccinated people get the COVID virus and even become hospitalized. So, they see no need to be vaccinated.
Let’s approach this reasoning with the following analogy. Consider whether we need to drive safely. People who do so have accidents. They even end up in hospitals with serious injuries, and some are killed. They even cause harm to others. So why not drive carelessly or even drunk? Almost everyone would quickly note that while this is true, those who drive safely have fewer accidents, are less liable to be injured or killed, and less likely to cause harm to others.
The same reasoning applies to the COVID-19 vaccination. People who get the shot are less liable to get the virus, seldom are hospitalized, essentially never die from the virus, and are generally less likely to pass the virus to others. There are few adverse side-effects. Scientific studies show that vaccines have a high degree of positive effectiveness.
Elton Nelson, Turlock
Steady march toward socialism
My wife and I recently visited Mount Rushmore and it was very awe-inspiring. While there I wore my Trump 2024 cap and among the several positive comments I received, one came from a gentleman I would guess was in his 80s. He approached me and said, “Thanks for wearing that cap. I was born in Germany and lived there several years before I came to America. I experienced socialism and communism and my relatives that are still living there are still experiencing both. The people that are pushing the socialist agenda in this country today have no idea what they are hoping for and the current administration is helping them. If Trump were president, this wouldn’t be happening. Thank you for wearing that cap!”
The left has been trying to inch us toward socialism for some time, but with what happened in the U.S. Senate this week, we are no longer inching along but we now moving at breakneck speed toward socialism. And yes, this with the help of 19 Republicans. God help us.
Ray Walker, Turlock