Don’t let President Trump use the U.S. Postal Service to jeopardize mail-in voting

Don’t jeopardize mail-in voting

The November election is like none we’ve ever experienced. A pandemic is raging and the safety of Americans is in the hands of Congress.

Sen. Thom Tillis and other Republican senators must voice opposition to tactics that Donald Trump and U.S. Postmaster General Louis Dejoy are using to damage the integrity of our election.

Trump has made it clear he intends to withhold important funding, which jeopardizes mail-in voting. DeJoy appears to be his accomplice at the USPS, working against our democratic process.

How will senators like Tillis be remembered — as traitors to their constituents and country by continuing to support the actions of Trump and Dejoy or as patriots who finally stood up to attempts to rig the 2020 election?

No matter who wins, democracy can only be served when all votes are counted.

Mary Gaertner, Charlotte

Issues with USPS influence my vote

I ordered some paper stencils. The package was mailed from Otis, Mass. on Aug. 6. According to U.S. Postal Service tracking, it has been sitting in Charlotte since Aug. 10. Tracking tells me it is running late and may arrive later. I should have had it on Aug. 10 or sooner.

So, in just weeks the USPS has gone from somewhat slow to turtle-slow with that fine N.C. resident Louis DeJoy streamlining the postal service. Can’t wait until election night.

Bill Lane, Polkville

Let people take the risks they want

Historically, people become sick and some, especially with immune system issues, die. To speak out and demand we cancel football is somewhat over the top.

We need to be allowed to go back to work, we need to be able to socialize with our friends and neighbors, and we especially need the freedom to take whatever risks we are willing to take. Stay home if you are afraid, but let the rest of us participate in viewing football, baseball, golf and corn-hole if we wish.

Linwood Bolles, Charlotte

We chose this path on college football

Luke DeCock gave us the starkest, truest take on COVID in “Commentary: College football players are realizing the power they have,” (Aug. 11 Sports).

We didn’t earn the privilege of football this fall. As DeCock said: “There was a path forward out of this pandemic back in February and maybe even March, and we, collectively, chose not to follow it.”

Perhaps our online schools could teach a daily lesson on deferred gratification, apparently a lost art and our only hope.

Steve Craig, Charlotte

I share nursing center resident’s pain

Either my husband or I could have authored the Aug. 12 letter titled “Change NC nursing center restrictions.”

We live in a retirement facility — both under the same roof. He is in the health care portion while I live in the independent living section. He is not allowed to visit me, nor am I allowed to visit him.

He is allowed no visitors at all — not family members or our clergy. My husband is so sheltered that he is unlikely to die of COVID-19, but he may die instead of grief and the isolation that keeps all who care about him away from him.

The letter writer said it well: “They are sad, depressed, lonely and trapped.” That applies to those in nursing homes all over the area. Does anyone care?

Cary H. Johnston, Davidson

COVID, a hoax? That’s just not possible

This astonishingly complex COVID-19 conspiracy would involve a secret deal between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, as well as dozens of political leaders on every habitable continent. It also would involve doctors at the WHO in Geneva and the CDC in Atlanta, a well as all hospitals around the world conspiring with data scientists at Johns Hopkins to produce a fantastic flow of fake information.

If you still believe everything those politicians, scientists and healthcare workers are saying is in itself made up, then it would require even more amazing capacity on someone’s part to control the media and internet.

For those of you who continue with this conspiracy, you might also believe we’re all living in the matrix. If we are, it isn’t just this pandemic that’s imaginary.

Dot Meixler, Huntersville

Trump, Tolstoy and Mount Rushmore

President Trump has suggested he wants his image added to Mount Rushmore, including in a tweet this week.

Leo Tolstoy, the Russian author who wrote “War and Peace” and “Anna Karenina” is acclaimed as one of the greatest writers of all time. His famous quotes influenced many including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. His statement on greatest eliminates Trump for consideration to be added to Mount Rushmore: “There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent.”

Ed Kouri, Charlotte

This story was originally published August 13, 2020 at 3:11 PM.