Letters to the editor | Monday, June 6, 2022: Electronics are harming youth
Electronics are harming youth
Re “We’re ignoring a major culprit behind teen mental health crisis” (Page 6A, May 23): The opinion piece had an intriguing title, but completely missed the mark. It cited sleep deprivation caused by electronic devices. Are we being serious? We’re excusing the devices and blaming a lack of sleep? That’s like excusing alcoholism and blaming hangovers. The devices are the culprit.
In a simpler time, it was considered a crime to introduce a child to an addictive product before they could give adult consent. These devices are extremely addicting, entrapping countless kids (and adults) in psychologically damaging social isolation. For kids, the problem isn’t always found in what they’re doing, but what they’re not doing or being kept from doing. There are arguably two divine ideologies: one prioritizing community or the social, the other the individual. These devices have unleashed devastation on social ideology, the very thing these kids desperately need.
Meanwhile, individualistic ideology of the most damaging kind has quietly advanced to entirely unhealthy levels with the help of a diabolical secret weapon, an addictive product. The resulting ideological imbalance in the social realm is simply unsustainable. Something must give.
Michael Sweeten, Turlock
Self for Assembly
Don’t be fooled by Chad Condit. After his crushing defeat by Jessica Self for the California Democratic Party endorsement – Condit only managed to get two votes – he has gone on the attack against Ms. Self. He registered as a Democrat just one week prior to filing to run for State Assembly. He left the party in a huff 20 years ago after his dad was summarily booted from office.
Self won nearly 100% of votes from Democratic Party delegates who know how hard she has worked to get good Democrats elected for the past decade. Those same delegates know that the Condits are a family of do-nothings who rely so heavily on their last name that Chad couldn’t even be bothered to put his first name on his campaign materials.
He smears Ms. Self’s occupation as a public defender with the same right-wing talking points used to denigrate Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. His talking points wrongly accusing Self of “helping prisoners escape” are so ridiculous that you’d think Trump said them.
Elizabeth Talbott, Waterford
Good job, grads
Congratulations to the Class of 2022!
As you move forward into adulthood please remember that yes, celebrating your accomplishments is important but more important is to always do the right thing and treat others with kindness and respect. Take ownership and responsibly for your mistakes. It’s OK to stumble — we all do. Friends, always remember that owning up to your mistakes will make you not only a stronger person in your community, but a more valuable one as well.
Efren Martinez, Modesto
Selective morality undermines church
Archbishop Cordileone has decided to deny communion to Nancy Pelosi because of her support for abortion which he says creates “confusion” and “scandal” among Catholics. What creates confusion is the perceived double standard. If, as Pope Francis says, “all life is equally sacred,” why deny communion to a politician who supports abortion, but not to one who supports the death penalty? Some might conclude that it is because most Democrats are in favor of abortion and most Republicans are in favor of the death penalty. We cannot be playing politics with communion.
There have been 60 million abortions since its legalization. Should communion be denied for this, but not if one person is killed by lethal injection? This ideology clearly diminishes the value of human life and goes against church teaching and the commandment “Thou shall not kill.”
There are other things truly scandalous that go against the sanctity of human life that the church should be paying more attention to and we are not. Applying morality selectively only divides and undermines the credibility of the church. Then church leaders ask: “Why is the church not important to people anymore or why are they leaving the church?
Father Misael Avila, Riverbank
Another great Porchfest
Thank you to the hosts, musicians, and everyone who helped make Modesto Porchfest another amazing experience. There are few events that do community like Porchfest.
Kent Mitchell, Riverbank