Weighing in on the Singapore Summit
What do locals think of the meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore? There were mixed feelings about the meeting, safety issues and how the issue should ultimately be handled. Downtown Yuba City and downtown Marysville patrons were asked to share their opinions on the topic:
Lori Jones Age: 56. City of residence: Yuba City. Occupation: Cook at Columbia Retirement Center in Marysville.
Q: How do you feel about the Singapore Summit?
A: It was very interesting; me and my mother were watching it and it seemed like it was pretty casual, we’ll see how it works out. I hope it works out, it would be great if it did.
Q: Do you feel safe?
A: Yes, I do, I really do.
Q: Is this the right way to proceed with nuclear issues?
A: There isn’t really any other way, you can’t just barge in and take control, you have to talk. Communication is the key, and we’ll see what happens.
Q: Do you trust what is going on will mean a safer world?
A: I think so, yes, I’m sure that it will but I don’t want to be worried about those kinds of things happening. If anybody gets mad or whatever, they can just go ahead and do something like that, it’s a terrible thing.
Q: Any other opinions to share on the topic?
A: No, not really, I think that’s good. I just hope that President Trump does what he says he’s going to do and makes America great again. He seems to be doing an all right job so far.
Jacob Geraldo Age: 32. City of residence: Marysville. Occupation: Cook.
Q: How do you feel about the Singapore Summit?
A: I think it’s a big deal as far as getting two major countries together to talk about denuclearization, which is a huge hot topic in our world right now, it’s going to be a long drawn out process, so we’ll see what happens. But definitely so far, so good. Talking is like the first step but definitely a long way to go and just be interesting to see what happens from here. North Korea could definitely come on board and join the rest of the world in trade and economics or they could continue to do what they do best and ignore everyone.
Q: Do you feel safer?
A: Not really, I mean, I’m a Navy vet. So, I’ve been around the world and worked for the military and the government and we’ll see what happens.
Q: Is this the right way to proceed with nuclear issues?
A: I feel like yeah, as long as everything’s done outright and the public and everybody kind of knows each step that’s happening we’re heading to denuclearization, but the more things that go on behind closed doors is never safe policy.
Q: Do you trust what is going on, will it mean a safer world?
A: I have no reason not to trust it so I’m not going to put on a tin hat and say that the world’s going to burn, y’know, so hopefully everything goes well. It seems like there’s a lot of back and forth with the president, but at the end of the day he has a job to do and I just hope he does his job to the best of his ability.
Carolyn Foy-hoffer Age: “A very senior citizen.” City of residence: Yuba City. Occupation: Retired ballet teacher.
Q: How do you feel about the Singapore Summit?
A: I thought it was a wonderful thing to happen for this country and I just look at it as a positive, it’s a very positive thing. I never thought I’d see it in my lifetime so where it goes, I don’t know, but at least it was a crack in the wall. Made a break, I believe. I just believe that President Trump is doing a really good job for what, I mean, he’s not a politician, he’s a businessman and he knows what this country needs and he knows how to negotiate and he knows what he’s doing and I may not always like what he does but y’know, I think he’s doing a wonderful job.
Q: Do you feel safer?
A: I don’t depend on the government to keep me safe. It’s like it could be different tomorrow than it is today but I don’t look at it as whether I’m more safe or not, I just feel secure in my own faith and my community and I just don’t live in fear.
Q: Is this the right way to proceed with nuclear issues?
A: Y’know, I’m not a politician but I’ve heard about this since I was a kid in high school way back in the day, and I believe that our country is very well supplied with what they need should anything like that ever happen and when it’s my turn to go it’s my turn to go however God chooses, so I look at it and think ‘well, we’re not here forever.’ ‘Course nobody wants nuclear war, that would be a tragedy but y’know there’s tragedies every day that could be just as bad if not worse. I feel safe.
Q: Do you trust what is going on, will it mean a safer world?
A: I’m not a politician and it depends on who you want to listen to but I have great faith and my faith is I’m safe, I’m safe wherever I am. That’s how I feel.
Quassim “Mo” Saeed Age: 28. City of residence: Fair Oaks. Occupation: Works at Frank M. Booth Inc.
Q: How do you feel about the Singapore Summit?
A: It’s interesting, it’s a little exciting. Didn’t think that anything like that was going to happen. Q: Do you feel safer? A: I mean I didn’t really feel threatened by the whole North Korea situation. I thought it was just a lot of big talk.
Q: Is this the right way to proceed with nuclear issues?
A: Yeah, I think diplomatic solutions are better for sure versus, y’know, the alternative.
Q: Do you trust what is going on, will it mean a safer world?
A: Yeah, I hope so, we can only wait and see.
Pranav Amin Age: 54. City of residence: Yuba City. Occupation: Ophthalmologist.
Q: How do you feel about the Singapore Summit?
A: I think if there is an option where any diplomacy can avoid nuclear disasters of war it is good for humanity. No matter what political party we are affiliated with, but as a patriot, as a human, you want these kinds of things to take place where people dissolve their differences and come to a conclusion where you avoid war at any cost. So, I feel very, very optimistic.
Q: Do you feel safer?
A: I’m in the safest country in the world, I feel safe all the time.
Q: Is this the right way to proceed with nuclear issues?
A: Diplomacy always, yes. No war, no aggression, no big button, small button rocket man type of things. But diplomacy discussion and logical thought process resolve the conflict, yes.
Q: Do you trust what is going on, will it mean a safer world?
A: I think that those are difficult questions but I like that without fighting and rhetoric we are trying to resolve something. Q: Any other opinions you’d like to share? A: No, I think that at some point in time, media also has to give a chance to the process. I mean like one party versus the other but this is not about a party, this is about humanity because if we go back in the history, I was just in Hiroshima not too long ago and once you (go to) such places, it is different than reading in the books. You never want wars, you never want killing, you never want innocent lives lost. So as a human being, you want such process to work, so even media should encourage something like this.
Share your views with us by weighing in at adnewsroom@appealdemocrat.com