Once president, Joe Biden should not pardon Donald Trump. It’s a flawed decision.

No pardon

No, Joe Biden shouldn’t pardon Donald Trump. The sentiment sounds noble, but has already proven to be flawed.

After the Civil War, President Andrew Johnson’s pardons gave racists latitude to perpetuate their hate all over again. Some went on to start the KKK, ruin reconstruction, and institute Jim Crow laws that assured Blacks a perpetual disadvantage. Some of them should have been in prison. Instead, they were perfectly positioned to carry out their misdeeds.

Trump and all of his minions should be punished for every law they broke. No mulligans!

James Banks, Huntersville

Impeachment

The continued persecution of President Trump, which has gone on for more than four years, is hateful, divisive for the country, and plain vindictive. Seventy-four million people wanted him to remain their president for four more years, but Democrats don’t want him to serve even four more days. So, when you hear Joe Biden and fellow Democrats speak of healing the nation, remember their disdain for the millions who chose someone different to be their leader. This impeachment is not a healing action!

Richard Martin, Charlotte

Twitter ban

Regarding “Cabarrus GOP protests social media ban on Trump with blackout” (Jan. 12):

Those extremist conservative voices who’ve spent the last few years supporting and amplifying the endless stream of poisonous lies emanating from the White House, can expect no sympathy when they now whine about their voices being banned by a social media “woke” to the serious danger this president and his enablers pose to the country.

Kudos to Twitter, Facebook, and others, despite their maddening slowness in banning Trump and his inflammatory rhetoric on their platforms. It took five deaths and the desecration of the halls of Congress?

Alan Singerman, Mooresville

Respect each other

In this turbulent time, may we all remember that we can disagree and still respect each other. Violence is never the answer. May we all find the courage to unite and not fight. This is worth repeating. God speed, America.

Kimberly Lajzer, Connelly Springs

Vaccinate teachers

Before we open our schools, all teachers and school personnel in direct contact with students should be given priority in the vaccination queue. While it may be true that children don’t get as ill from coronavirus, they can still spread it asymptomatically. If this occurs, we may find ourselves with schools wanting to reopen but without enough teachers, bus drivers, and other necessary personnel because they’re sick, died or resigned.

Margaret Howell, Charlotte

Charlotte airport

For the first time in decades, I flew through Charlotte Wednesday and was pleased to discover a lovely airport, modern and spacious. However, unlike every other airport I’ve visited since the pandemic — in the U.S., Europe and Africa — no effort has been made to facilitate social distancing.

Elsewhere in the world, every other seat at departure gates is either criss-crossed with tape or displays a sticker stating that it should not be taken. Not in Charlotte, where throngs of travelers sat elbow to elbow, in full view of large signs informing them of the many health measures being taken by the airport authority.

This seems macabre in a state where 7,825 people have died, and where cases continue to climb.

Chris Hennemeyer, Washington, D.C.

Zoonotic diseases

For years, a group of Charlotteans petitioned City Council to adopt an ordinance banning wild animal shows. This was fueled not just by a desire to end animal cruelty, but by the substantial threat of the transmission of zoonotic diseases.

Perhaps now Council will realize that human interactions with wild animals pose a very real and terrifying threat. It is not a matter of if we will have another zoonotic-borne pandemic, but when. As circuses begin touring again, we must reassess the ways in which we needlessly interact with animals. It’s time for City Council to act!

Kristen Moyer, Charlotte