Biden is just a few years older than Trump. But let’s talk maturity. | Opinion

Biden’s age

Republicans, and Democrats, complain about Joe Biden being a whopping three years older than Donald Trump. That difference in age is actually an illusion. Biden speaks and acts like an adult, and Trump speaks and acts like a child. In 2016, conservative pundit and psychiatrist Charles Krauthammer, now deceased, thought Trump was “temperamentally unfit to command the nation.” One can only imagine what he would think now.

Wayne McGee, Cornelius

Lockdowns, guns

I am a UNC-Chapel Hill mom who had the anxiety provoking experience of texting my son for hours, not just during one lockdown but two in the past three weeks. I am also a clinical psychologist who understands how anxiety and depressive disorders develop in children and youth.

Our gun culture is out of control and these lockdown and active shooter experiences are traumatizing our youth. Even if they are not physically harmed, they are psychologically harmed by the heightened anxiety, panic and terror they are forced to endure for hours.

These experiences can lead to mental health disorders, yet our health system leaves quality care out of reach for most Americans. If the N.C. legislature is unable or unwilling to tackle the gun issue, even as some lawmakers repeatedly point toward the mental health issue as “the real issue,” then let’s do something about the mental health issue. I don’t see any evidence that our legislature is doing anything to make mental health care more accessible.

Kristin Rogentine-Lee, Charlotte

Inexcusable delay

The disgraceful impasse over the state budget is solely the responsibility of N.C. House and Senate Republicans. This budget should have been passed months ago. But state GOP leaders frittered away time and taxpayer money, leaving our state without (bipartisan approved) Medicaid expansion and enough funding for law enforcement, education and public safety. This tone-deaf arrogance and legislative incompetence is unacceptable. Gerrymander all you will, N.C. Republicans, but voters will judge you harshly come next year’s election.

Michael A. Clark, Charlotte

School funding

Another school year has begun without funding for a sound, basic education for all N.C. children — as required by our state Constitution. As a weekly volunteer in a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools first-grade class, I see how difficult it is for our teachers to serve all our children. I urge legislators to pass the state budget and include funding for a sound, basic education for all children.

Linda Levy, Charlotte

Spend on toilets

The fact that homeless people in uptown Charlotte have nowhere to use the restroom and are left to urinate and defecate in parks and on sidewalks is absolutely appalling (Sept. 13 Opinion). Charlotte spends so much money on many (sometimes) unnecessary projects. If we can’t overcome the problem of affordable housing, why can’t our dollars go toward putting portable toilets in areas where homeless people are? This would be the right and humane step to take.

Carol Shubkin, Charlotte

Sen. Tuberville

The writer is a retired N.C. Superior Court judge who wrote in response to a Sept. 28 event in Raleigh featuring U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

Senator Tommy Tuberville’s mammoth ego has put the U.S. military command structure and our national security at risk. Tuberville put a “hold” on all military promotions because he disagrees with the Defense Department policy that allows females in the armed forces to be reimbursed for out-of-state travel to receive medical care related to abortion.

He is causing hundreds of officers and their families to suffer in limbo. His behavior is foolhardy and dangerous. To quote Shakespeare’s MacBeth: Tuberville is but a fool who “struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more. ...Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

Tuberville never served a day in the military and clearly lacks the understanding and experience needed to justify his bizarre and wrongful decision. History may well deal harshly with his action, and should.

Howard Manning Jr. , Raleigh

JAG officer in the U.S. Navy, 1968-1972