The Open Forum
Castillo parents fighting for safety of students
Re: “Parents seeking records, not cash,” March 14 news story
Instead of taking the money and running, the Castillos are choosing to honor their son, Kendrick, by getting and sharing information that may save other students. Good for them!
Assault rifle lapel pins disrespectful
Re: “GOP’S filibuster sought to stall gun, safe-drug-use bills,” March 11 news story and “GOP digs in against gun bills,” March 7 news story
In light of the near-daily shootings and killings of Americans, often with assault-type weapons, doesn’t it seem insulting to the dead and wounded that any elected representative of any party would wear an assault rifle insignia on their lapel?
It is a disrespectful affront to any survivor to vaunt the instrument of destruction that deprived them of loved ones. Parents and school children fear attending what should be one of the safest havens. Yet, in seeming ignorance and disregard for those killed, some elected officials proudly display banal disrespect on their chests.
If they were personally affected by the loss of a loved one, what would their attitudes be? I doubt they would be so unconcerned.
Both sides of the mouth talk about mental health, and this utterly flagrant lack of care for public safety clearly shows where the mental health issues are. Obsessiveness over an inanimate object might be an indicator.
“Affordable for whom?”
Many people seem to swoon when they hear “affordable housing.” We may all think we know what it means. Many seem to think that affordable housing solves myriad problems vexing Denver. But the notion of affordable housing raises many questions. Affordable for whom? Affordable for how long? On what basis is affordability measured? Who determines affordability? What proof is required? In comparison to market-rate housing, is affordable housing as well built?
Affordable housing is an opportunity for the already housed, i.e., renters. Affordable housing offers an opportunity for the already housed to move into ownership. Affordable housing does not address the issue of the unhoused/homeless. Addressing the issue of the unhoused is a completely separate issue from building affordable housing. In swooning over affordable housing, we need to be very clear-eyed about what it is and is not, and what it does and does not.
When the government tells you not to worry …
Re: “Government races to reassure U.S. that the system is safe,” March 14 news story
On Monday, the federal government raced to reassure Americans that the banking system was secure after the second- and third-largest bank failures in the nation’s history happened in the span of 48 hours. I’ve been around long enough to know that when the federal government tells you don’t worry, you better start worrying.