LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Real patriots do not shun approved vaccine

Re “First responders, supporters rally against mandate” (Nov. 19): El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells “gave a speech accusing those pushing for vaccine mandates of trying to tear down America and create a ‘Communist utopia.’”

Just curious as to when the rally will be held to protest mandatory polio vaccines to further prevent this feared Communist utopia from happening. What ever happened to reasoned discourse about public health? Risks and benefits, yes. This kind of rhetoric, no.

A vaccine opponent, the “San Diego police sergeant,” invoked the Revolutionary War to make his argument against vaccine mandates. Let’s set the record straight.

Gen. George Washington well understood the dangers of a deadly disease to the public and his troops. In his time, it was smallpox that was ravaging the country and his troops. Here is a quote from Ron Chernow’s “Washington: A Life.” “By January 1777 he ordered Dr. William Shippen to inoculate every soldier who had never had the disease.”

Yes, invoking our country’s history is appropriate — but be truthful. Washington knew that his troops could only win the war if they were alive — he wisely took the important step to issue what is probably the first vaccine mandate done in the name of our country’s fight for freedom.

Prove that San Diego mass transit can work

Re “San Diego mass transit is going to be a difficult sell” (Nov. 22): San Diego’s City Council is pushing mass transit use for the citizens of San Diego. OK, then all members of the City Council and every person employed by San Diego must use mass transit. To and from work, to all meetings, all photo ops at the San Diego Zoo, etc., and when campaigning for their reelection against other candidates.

Substitutes shouldn’t have to teach for free

Re “Hiring shortages, COVID stresses complicate schools’ year of recovery” (Nov. 22): Probably the main reason why many retired teachers are not coming back to substitute or teach or are reluctant to do so more often or full-time is because, if they are retired and earn over a certain amount in any given year, then $1 is deducted from their retirement income for every $1 they earn — meaning, at the least, that when they reach this threshold they would be working for free as volunteers.

If the city wants to increase the number of retired teachers who would gladly help out in this time of need, they must completely do away with this onerous retirement provision and not just decrease the threshold, and let all retired teachers know it.

Thanks for shining light that others can follow

Re “I was afraid to stay and afraid to leave my abusive relationship” (Nov. 12) Thank you to Lisbet Perez for sharing what had to be a very difficult piece to write, especially sharing this story in a public forum.

Most of us cannot begin to comprehend the life she has lived, and survived, not to mention the effect it has had on her children.

Domestic violence, almost always directed towards women, must be condemned on every level. Hopefully, stories from brave women like Perez will help shine the light of day on this outrage. I think survivor is the appropriate term for women like her, and I think that her work with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office will result in more survivors, and hopefully less domestic violence.

Open more lanes at the U.s.-mexico border

Re “San Diego’s international border reopens after a long wait” (Nov. 5): U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) employs more than 60,000 taxpayerpaid people. Taxpayers have recently spent $741 million to greatly expand the local border crossing facilities to 62 northbound inspection booths and 34 traffic lanes.

At present, CBP chooses to keep as few as six lanes open. CBP claims it can’t find enough agents among its 60,000 employees to keep more than a few lanes open.

If our congressional representatives can’t get CBP to allocate enough of its employees to keep every single one of the 62 northbound

booths open, at all times, seven days a week, we need to replace every one of our congressional representatives until we find some people willing to buck the CBP union and require CBP to actually do what it’s paid to do.

Re “Biden signs historic $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill” (Nov. 15): The Democrats have finally passed their $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. Now they need to aggressively promote it to voters, the majority of whom are for it, to preempt the GOP from labeling it “typical Democratic socialism.”

I was reminded of the need to do this when Rep. Gary Palmer, R-ala., hypocritically took credit for its passing to build the Birmingham pipeline for his constituents even though he voted against the bill. I

urgently suggest that Team Biden hire an apolitical documentary filmmaker (like Ken Burns) to film how it is helping communities fix long-overdue infrastructure projects, something Donald Trump’s GOP failed to deliver on.

Hopefully, a version could be ready for viewing before the 2022 midterms to remind voters, especially Republicans, how they are personally benefiting: jobs, safe bridges, etc.

The Democrats need to snatch victory from the jaws of victory and vilify Republicans running for office.

Chargers don’t deserve local news coverage

Why do the Chargers get so much coverage in the paper? You would think they were still our team.

They left us. Can we leave them? Treat them like every other team.