West Newsmagazine 12-16-20

4 I OPINION I
December 16, 2020
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
@WESTNEWSMAG
WESTNEWSMAGAZINE.COM
Remembering
Walter E. Williams
Just wanted to thank the West Newsmagazine
for publishing articles by Dr. Walter
E. Williams, who passed away Dec. 2.
I enjoyed his data-driven articles and
clear analysis of the challenges facing
the country. His perspective as an educator,
economist and African American were
unique and his ability to communicate
complex economic and social relationships
in concise, easy to understand, fact-driven
articles was unique.
What I liked most about his articles was
that, while his topics were very serious and
very personal to him, he approached them
as a “happy-warrior,” never calling people
names and never attacking the individual,
just their actions.
He was a great man and is leaving quite
a legacy of scholarly accomplishments. He
will be missed.
Tim Tierney
Regarding ‘Count the votes’
The votes were counted. And, thankfully,
Trump lost.
Prior to the election, the great con-man
Trump declared, “If I lose, the election was
rigged.” So all of this hand-wringing over
free and fair elections is just proof that
Trump supporters (like you) have gone
off the deep end in actually believing this
nonsense. The fact that Trump and GOP
office-holders will not even recognize the
results of this election is far more chilling
than Trump is. He will be 6 feet under in
10 years; they will still be walking among
us, clueless.
Donald Trump is a pathological liar, con
man, and devoid of any common decency.
The worst president in U.S. history. Yet
you and many of your readers seem to
believe the election was “rigged.” And
why? Because Donald Trump said so, and
you believe everything he says.
Case closed.
Bill Hall
Why the permanent potholes?
I’m surprised that many of the streets
in West County have potholes that never
ever get fixed. They are all about 26 inches
in diameter where manholes are under the
roadway. Many of the manhole covers are
well below street level, thus causing a pothole
in the road. They are very irritating
to drivers, who frequently swerve to miss
them, thus causing dangerous driving. I’m
sure that most drivers know where the bad
ones are that get dodged regularly.
I’m not a manhole expert, but I have
learned that spacer rings of various
heights are available that fit under the
covers to raise them up to the level of
the roadway, thus fixing the problem. So
why aren’t the spacer rings used? That is
a subject that I think should be discussed
at city council meetings throughout the
county, so that drivers will no longer have
to play “dodge ‘em.”
Richard Brockmann
Responding to
‘The betterment of humanity’
In your Dec. 2 issue’s Letters to the
Editor, Lindsey Gordon needs to read the
column on the previous page by Walter
Williams concerning “Correct diagnostics
needed.” Specifically, the last two paragraphs’
quotes from Dr. Thomas Sowell
regarding the disintegration of the Black
family after the liberal welfare state, in
1965, subsidized unwed pregnancy and
changed welfare from an emergency
rescue to a way of life. This created a cultural
and economic divide with no relationship
to skin color.
George Koob
Responding to ‘Concerned
about Town & Country’
As a 30-plus-year Town & Country resident,
I have never seen a regime so closed
to public opinion as the one helmed by the
current mayor.
“Public task forces” are a joke – members
are chosen by the mayor and board to rubber
stamp their positions. This is even more the
case with commissions, such as the crucial
Planning and Zoning Commission.
Minority views are marginalized.
The notion that all views are welcome and
that issues are vetted is patently absurd. It is
only when one or two residents lead a revolution
– e.g., with the proposed expansion
of a local nursing home – that our elected
officials act “for the people.”
Town Square is yet another example
where the Board of Aldermen has shirked
its fiduciary responsibility to protect town
coffers and instead has chosen to side with
friendly developers. Time for change!
Susan K. Feigenbaum
Attention all drivers
The lever on the left side of the column
is called the turn signal. Use it! It is the
best safety device in the car, except the
driver. It is there for a reason, to signal
what you are going to do.
Be responsible, be respectful, be a good
driver and also put down phone, drinks
and food, and focus on driving. Also, when
wipers are on, headlights and taillights
should be on also. Put the headlight switch
on “auto.” They will come on and turn off
automatically with no adjustment.
Let’s all be more courteous and slow
down. Also, red lights mean stop.
Bill Clynes
The risks of isolation
My aunt is a nurse working with COVID
patients. Back in March, she was terrified.
The predictions and warnings were horrific.
Now that we’ve been dealing with the effects
of this illness for months, she’s less afraid of
the virus (which kills less than 1% of people)
and more afraid of the risks of isolation.
The patients who are on their last leg,
coming in dying of COVID-19, are those
who completely isolated themselves. They
are the individuals who did everything
they were told to: distancing, disinfecting
everything, wearing masks during the few
times they had to go out. She says they
have killed their immune systems, which
is more risky than COVID-19 itself.
I’m highly disappointed to see how West
Newsmagazine has reported on this situation.
You are playing it safe and just repeating
the same thing that all mainstream
media is shoving down people’s throats.
Maybe you’re afraid to print something
real and truly accurate about this fiasco?
Or you don’t want others to think you
don’t care about everyone, even that 1% of
people who do die? I don’t know.
Yes, we need to look out for others, but
if the predictions were wrong and the virus
clearly isn’t as deadly or harmful as predicted,
then why are we still destroying our
immune systems and our livelihoods for
it? Wouldn’t it be more caring to report on
all aspects of this situation and not just go
with the flow because it’s easier?
My aunt simply put it this way: Would
you rather live a long life of isolation, or
a potentially shorter life surrounded by
family and friends? I prefer the latter.
Jessica Marie Baumgartner
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ON THE COVER: St. Luke’s Hospital employees (from left) Katsuhiko Berryhill, RN, Emergency Department; Laverne Crutchfield, respiratory
therapist; and Sarah Wehmhoff, RN, ICU, are among the heroes of 2020.
(William Andrea/St. Luke’s Hospital photo)
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