Compassion for today’s addicts, but not yesterday’s

It’s interesting to see how Americans think about the current opioid crisis. Your editorial believes that Arizona must treat this as a public-health emergency.

I can remember 30 years ago when we were facing a similar wave of addiction. Death and crime and the response couldn’t have been more different.

Every night, we saw endless images of thin black men and women ravaged by crack cocaine. When addiction was a black problem, there was no wave of national compassion. Instead, we were warned of super predators: young, faceless black men wearing bandannas and sagging jeans.

No one advocated for treatment. The universal response was “lock ’em up!”

We even passed a law that continues to fill our prisons with folks convicted of victimless crimes, that is if you’re black or poor enough to not afford a court-ordered treatment diversion program.

Few believe treatment is not an appropriate response, but are the law-and-order types ready to admit their hypocrisy in their current beneficence?

When are we going to see editorials in The Republic calling for the wholesale release of prisoners incarcerated for years before we got the “treatment, not jail” religion?

— Steve May, Goodyear

What a family, what a couple, and what a couple of great kids

Regarding the Skinner family story in Sunday’s Arizona Republic: What an amazing story. It brought tears of joy from beginning to end.

To the parents, Dennis and Janine, we could all take valuable lessons from your parenting skills ... you’re wonderful parents!

To the twins, Sammy and Ashton, from your rare and dangerous birth to courageous young adults, like your story, you are also amazing.

With your positive attitude and with the unconditional love and support from family, you will do well in whatever you decide to pursue. The four of you made my day.

— L J Hall, Fountain Hills

Owings is one of the unsung heroes of D-Backs great season

Some people marvel at the Arizona Diamondbacks recent success. It always starts with pitching.

Credit the management for the team’s much improved relief pitching, but some of the success is a result of necessity.

Successful teams often have someone who hits for a good average at No. 5 in the batting order and who makes it dangerous to pitch around a Goldschmidt and Lamb.

Lately, Chris Owings has done a good job at No. 5, filling in for Yasmany Tomas who was hitting .241 before he was injured.

— Jim McManus, Phoenix

What’s good for Donald Trump is good for every 7-year-old

I’m the grandfather of 10 grandchildren. I was looking for party ideas for the grandson soon to be 7 years old. While viewing the evening news coverage of the president’s cabinet meeting, I saw a teaser that sure will please any 7year-old boy. I will have all of his friends seated in a circle say something glowing about him.

— Joseph Lambrecht, Mesa

Please, Rep. Schweikert, dial back the incendiary rhetoric

Arizona Republic reporters Dan Nowicki and Ronald J. Hansen wrote Friday that “Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., said no meaningful change will come until hatred is seen as out of bounds within the activist community.” (To be clear, the former is a quote of the reporters’ words, not a direct quote of Rep. Schweikert.)

However, I am sitting here looking at his fund-raising letter addressed to me, as a constituent, in which he accuses me of following a “radical social agenda” that is “determined to inflict the kind of violence that we have seen before,” and that I will “stop at no turn to ‘clash with police,’ ‘incite violence,’ ‘light cars on fire,’ ‘incite mass arrests,’ ‘and use women, children, and families to mass confusion.’ ”

He states that he is “troubled to see this kind of behavior.” Likewise, I am troubled to see his kind of behavior. I would like to remind Rep. Schweikert that toning down the rhetoric should start with our leaders, of which he claims to be one.

Mr. Schweikert should understand that not all his constituents agree with him, and that in America he represents their right to disagree and to peacefully and publicly voice their opposition.

As a U.S. representative, he has an obligation to listen to those positions. Mr. Schweikert owes his constituency an apology. His hyperbole, demagoguery and name-calling is offensive and not befitting a U.S. Representative. Mr. Schweikert, toning down the rhetoric could start with you.

— Phylliss Henry, Scottsdale