Take a breath for George Floyd. Take a breath for his family. Take a breath for the probable hundreds of black citizens over recent decades subjected to criminal behavior in the US on the part of those very public service individuals whose job includes protecting them. Take a breath for justice and the rule of law. Take a breath for basic humanity. Probably 95% of law enforcement personnel will take a breath for George Floyd, but the 5% who don’t care are very disturbing.
In the early ’60s, I earned a degree from the University of Texas in Austin — an accomplishment that allowed decent employment throughout my life to support my family.
However, the action that still means the most to me was putting on the only suit I had, and protesting for the rights of blacks to be admitted to Austin restaurants, and their being allowed to sit elsewhere in local movie houses other than the balcony. I was too young and naive then to realize the danger involved in protesting. But my protection was the color of my skin.
Over the past some 60 years I have seen efforts to improve the basic rights of minorities. Quite frankly, the death of George Floyd and apparent attempted initial official coverup so America still has a long, long way to go.
For me, my last breath will be much sooner than much later — that’s a fact. Before I take my last breath remembering my dear parents and my own family, I promise to take a long, long, long breath for George Floyd. That, too, is a fact.
PAT V. POWERS, Utopia, Texas
The modern Republican handiwork of “drowning the government” in the bathtub and “starving the beast” has come home to roost. For over 30 years Republican zealots have fought unrelentingly to cut, shred and hollow out an array of safeguards and protections designed to protect the population. And it’s taken the COVID-19 pandemic to showcase the enormous success the Republicans have enjoyed in destroying our federal infrastructure safeguards. Noam Chomsky describes the United States today as a “failed state” and points to “neoliberal assault on the population,” which, under Donald Trump, “may, quite literally, doom human society on Earth.”
COVID-19 showcases with finality the catastrophic results of decade’s long Republican assaults on maintaining elementary national safeguards. Today we have a government that can’t even produce or provide a simple test for Coronavirus. We do not even have the ability to provide masks and gowns for healthcare workers. Thirty years plus of “starving” the “beast” that is government and systematically destroying its ability to function has resulted in the tragic deaths of thousands of Americans. Another by product of this Republican onslaught is epic income inequality where approximately 40.3% of the population is approaching the poverty level and a society in which half of Americans cannot handle an unforeseen debt of $400. Add to this the Republican wholesale assault and destruction of the environment and you see why Noam Chomsky’s dire prediction is not hyperbole but pragmatic reasoning.
The total hatred of democracy showcased by the extremists who have put the effectiveness and the ability of the federal government to operate on behalf of the population is astonishing. We the people need to refute with finality and a clear voice the damning end results of decades long neoliberal attacks that have indeed rendered us a “failed state.”
JIM SAWYER, Edmonds, Wash.
Unfortunately, Republicans seem to think that they are the only Christians in America and that anyone but themselves are doomed.
Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall, it was assumed that “America won the Cold War,” that the Right beat the Left, that America ruled over everyone. Karl Rove’s philosophy was that one did not only win in a contest, one must destroy one’s opponents. Quickly, it became clear that Republicans have been basically disenfranchising Democrats, acting as if everything Democrats say, do, think is not even American and must be destroyed.
Trump has been the culmination, carrying out this philosophy into the core of our democratic institutions, even the civil service and the post office, and military justice and protocols — even the Justice Department and private citizens Trump doesn’t like, for one reason or another!
I talk about knowing scripture’s benefits because it is so necessary in dealing with Republicans’ affronts to our Constitution and to Truth.
Anyone re-examining the New Testament alone will find it impossible to miss the contrast between what Republicans call Being a Christian and Biblical teachings are. Anyone wanting to know Biblical truths can read them for themselves.
Don’t just accept what Republicans — or anyone — say is the Truth. Ask “chapter and verse, please.” Look it up! It will be good for everyone.
And, yes, prayer also will help.
CHERYL LOVELY, Presque Isle, Maine
TPP continues to inspire me with its good columnists. Thom Hartmann’s column in the 5/1/20 issue [“The coronavirus crash could be worse than the Republican Great Depression of 1930”] on getting manufacturing back into the US is right on. I’m old enough to remember when everything was made here. We had well-made, sturdy, good-looking wares that served us for a long time. Now we have shiploads of cheap, shoddy junk from the Far East that falls apart soon, drives us crazy, and ends up in the landfill.
Richard Wolff’s column in the 5/15/20 issue [“Capitalism Has Failed in Fighting Coronavirus”] admits the inadequacy of our capitalist system to handle the demands of a pandemic. Our economic system values money more than it values life, and I’m not talking about just human life. Our whole planet is a living organism, and the capitalist system only cares about turning it into money. We need to replace capital with life itself as the highest value. I don’t know if capitalism can evolve, but if it can’t, it will have to go. That could be really messy.
PATRICIA BLACK, Nevada City, Calif.
I endorse Richard D. Wolff’s article (5/15/20 TPP) on how capitalism (and government) has failed us in this fight against the Coronavirus. He did not, however, offer any good advice on how in the future we might fix the problem.
I would suggest this: In the future our military forces should be in charge of identifying and fighting pandemics — in a timely manner. It’s now their job to protect us from external enemies and no one can deny that pandemics are such an enemy.
Most military units have a file cabinet full of various contingency plans and programs. Where and when appropriate, units conduct readiness exercises. That cabinet should also contain a plan for fighting pandemics.
This Coronavirus experience has demonstrated that our capitalist-controlled politicians are incapable of dealing with pandemics. They are too often indebted to Big Business, or, to their own political fortunes. The military, on the other hand, is governed by no such entanglements. Furthermore, it has reliable leadership, manning, resources, experience, loyalty and can insure proper training and readiness.
The military can also immediately tap existing funds, that they have on hand for other various, less important missions, like, for example, guarding walls, or, setting up new organizations, such as the Space Command. All the military lacks is the proper authorization. Given that, I think you can trust your military to do the job as per usual — reliably and expeditiously. Unlike the politicians, the military enjoys the people’s trust and respect.
ROLLAND AMOS, USAF, MSgt, (Ret.), Severn, Md.
As a committed defense attorney for 40 years (and outspoken socialist-Bernie supporter), I find the laments that Michael Flynn received preferential treatment to be hollow; he should be freed due to the flagrant FBI abuses. Our concern should, rather, be recognizing that all defendants deserve the same Constitutional respect as Mr. Flynn.
Defendants base their decision whether to plead guilty or go to trial on what evidence the prosecution discloses in the pre-trial stage, which Rule 16 and discovery law requires. The FBI, all other investigating agencies and US Attorneys have long made it their art form to withhold from defendants, less well-placed than Mr. Flynn, relevant and material evidence (such as investigators’ notes), and this popular deceit is readily supported by the judiciary.
The remedy is not to lament how the Flynn resolution seems partial or might diminish respect for law enforcement but for honorable judges to enforce protections of the accused and “respect for law” by no longer endorsing this prejudicial abuse and compelling disclosure of evidence or dismissal with prejudice of the prosecution.
JOHN F. MOON SAMORE, Albuquerque, N.M.
Although I’m neither a nutritionist nor a dietitian, I agree with Jolene Smith’s opinion [“Veggies are good for you,” Letters, 6/1/20 TPP].that meat is not necessary to stay healthy. And a glance at history will give us all the proof we need: The Aztecs, the Zapotecs and the Maya established enviable civilizations on a protein-rich diet of beans and corn. And the Incas built theirs with a humble staple of potatoes.
Yes, they did occasionally supplement their diets with wild game — and the Aztecs ate a few of their Itzcuincli (the Chihuahua’s ancestor).
Although our family never suffered poverty during my childhood in Mexico, the only time we ate meat was on birthdays and Christmas, when my mother served us chicken. For the rest of the year, we stayed in good health eating beans, tortillas, potatoes and fresh fruit.
DAVID QUINTERO, Monrovia, Calif.
You know Donald Trump claims that Democrats want to make it too easy to vote and that a lot of people cheat with mail-in voting. With that being said, I’d like to propose some new voting requirements that Trump and Republicans might want to implement in order to ensure fair and honest elections.
In the future, all voters would be required to:
• Show a red MAGA hat instead of a photo ID.
• Hold a master’s degree from Trump University.
• Watch a Three Stooges marathon with Trump, Jared Kushner and William Barr.
• Spend an evening with Mike and Karen Pence.
• Know all 42 letters of the alphabet.
• Declare bankruptcy at least five times.
• Not accept responsibility for anything.
• Socially distance yourself from reality.
• Identify America’s top stable genius.
• Know the maiden name of your postmaster’s mother.
• Know how to lick a self-adhesive stamp.
• Feel sorry for yourself.
• Love the military but wimp out when it’s your turn to serve.
• Swear allegiance against the Deep State and Fake News.
Hey, it’s a free country. Make up your own mind!
MIKE EKLUND, Mercer, Wis.
From The Progressive Populist, July 1-15, 2020
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