1 week Ago
Consent of the peopleAmerican democracy is a living history of striving together. All of us have family members who gave full measure and who fought to defend our way of life from tyranny. To watch the daily shattering of all we have created together is beyond painful.
My education career included a decade working with students with hearing impairment. The individual education plan created by the Department of Education to assist all students to be successful is the key reason that two of my students mastered their subjects and excelled.One was Steve who was from a very wealthy family.
He was born profoundly deaf. Until I arrived at his school, he had no real way to communicate with his teachers and even his parents who preferred their son read lips. We communicated in American Sign Language.
Steve gained confidence; his teachers learned new ways to support him. Today he is a successful stockbroker.Whitney and I worked together from first grade through middle school.
Very hard of hearing, she was a lively engaged girl. A strong family behind her, today she teaches mathematics to college students. We are still in touch 45 years later.
Why do I tell you about them? President Donald Trump just destroyed the programs that helped Steve and Whitney become productive citizens and people who enjoy life and contribute to it.Caring about each other is the inexhaustible source of our power to govern ourselves. We govern our country, not some potentate or worse — a would-be dictator.
Susan Lee Feathers, Virginia BeachUnforced errorRe “Defense Secretary Hegseth has to go” (Other Views, March 29): I find it a little rich that Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Patricia Murphy demands Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s resignation for this recent unforced error of including an Atlantic Magazine journalist on a sensitive military text via the app, Signal.As egregious as that error was, it didn’t result in any deaths or mission compromise. My question, and it will be the same question every time any mainstream press delves into anything critical of President Donald Trump, is where were you when 13 American military members were killed in the withdrawal from Afghanistan? Or where were you when the entire world could see the obvious decline of former President Joe Biden? Or where was the press when Biden’s Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin went AWOL for four days during a critical medical event without the administration’s knowledge?The press provided cover for Biden and his administration during his entire tenure and never asked the ultimate question of “who is running the country?” So please spare me the self-righteous indignation over a text distribution error.
Stephen Davis, Virginia BeachEnjoy springRe “Get outside” (Your Views, April 4): I believe that the letter writer, as written, may have omitted a punctuation mark and a letter in referring to “Trump derangement syndrome.” We need to recognize it for what it is, “Trump’s derangement syndrome.” Aside from that small quibble, I completely agree with the writer’s conclusions.
Turn off the radio, the TV and the echo chambers of the internet. It’s spring, go outside, help a neighbor, volunteer, share a smile, resolve to live a happier life.It is spring! Give joy to all .
.. plant a garden, share its bounty, give flowers to friends, to neighbors, to those in need and share the raspberries, too.
And don’t burn down a Tesla dealer. It’s not necessary, President Donald Trump is torching his beloved stock market and economy with foolish promises. We all may need that vegetable garden soon.
Meanwhile, Trump’s messaging is loud and clear “play golf, don’t worry.”James Blohm, Virginia BeachSign up for Viewpoints, an opinion newsletter.
