Letters to the Editor, Sunday Sept. 28

Vaccine policies will bring back preventable diseases Editor: Multiple vaccines that have been proven safe for preventable diseases are under attack by Donald J. Trump and his political organization. Facts are ignored and lies are embraced while scientists with knowledge and character are fired and replaced with something quite less. At the current rate of affairs, it will take children paralyzed by polio, brain damaged and dying from measles, etc., before our hardhearted president, his organization and electorate return to common sense, compassion and fact-based medicine — if they are able. — Joe Clendenin, Santa Rosa

Too many guns, too much outrage sow violence Editor: When I heard about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, several things came to mind: There is a breaking point on a human level that, unfortunately, leads to these horrible moments and adds to the death by gun in this country. In an open but politically polarized society of 330 million citizens with 400 million guns, an escalation of violence cannot be surprising. However, I don’t condone political violence or violence of any kind to address problems. We live in a country that marginalizes people who are ill-informed and disenfranchised, while having an abundance of guns. This culminates in an escalation of violence and death, then a dismantling of basic freedoms. The rhetoric of outrage and fear stoked by politicians, social media, news and radio guide and shape the national discourse, creating a poisonous environment that at times boils over or explodes. I don’t pretend to know the answer. But I know that when people stop communicating and instead reach for a false promise — or a knife, a rock or a gun — nobody wins. Nobody wins. — Marc Andrade, Santa Rosa

Tax stock sales to cover federal obligations Editor: Our country is drowning in federal debt. Inflation is the off-the-shelf unpopular solution for politicians. I think our country would be better served with a federal sales tax on the stock markets. The Nasdaq and New York stock exchanges each trade, on average, 5 billion shares of stock per day. With a median price of $50 per share, a 2% federal sales tax can generate $10 billion per day in revenue for the federal government. On average, the stock exchanges are open 250 days per year. That is $2.5 trillion a year in new tax revenue, wiping out the annual deficit and paying down outstanding trillions in our collective debt and ensuring our shared future prosperity. No tariffs required. — Steven J. Garcia, Sebastopol

Pedestrian mall will hurt downtown Editor: I can see no positive outcomes to having a pedestrian mall along Fourth Street between B and E streets in Santa Rosa (“Fourth Street idea hits bumps,” Sept. 15). I received no survey to assess public attitudes toward such a step in, once again, rearranging downtown, so I feel disenfranchised in the planning process. How did the city conduct “a communitywide survey that drew more than 1,300 responses”? The Press Democrat indicated that business owners downtown feel this is a huge mistake and will cut their business even more than pandemics and online shopping have. “Businesses, particularly those along Fourth Street, felt banning vehicle traffic would make it more difficult to accept deliveries and would restrict access for customers who rely on nearby parking or have limited mobility,” the paper reported. Driving downtown to Corrick’s, Treehorn, the Doyle Building, Falafel Hut, Barnes and Noble, FedEx and the California Luggage company, my usual errands, will be three times as difficult. I’m reaching an age of limited mobility. I have loved my city since childhood and hope to enjoy it for some more years. — Linda L. Fraley,

As authoritarians rise, freedom is denied Editor: Speech that incites violence? Have we forgotten the lead up to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on our Capitol? Can we as Americans allow this overt intimidation to continue unabated? A hallmark of authoritarianism is the loss of freedom of speech and expression. We are in the midst of losing our God-given rights, guaranteed by our Constitution and the laws that protect those unable to fend for themselves against discrimination and oppression. Peace loving individuals, who understand the importance of freedoms, freedoms that have been won with bloodshed and the overcoming of oppressive regimes, understand the necessity of righting the wrongs perpetrated against us. Let freedom ring, loud and clear! — M.J. Girard, Santa Rosa

Were Republicans kidding about free speech? Editor: For months the Trump administration has complained about liberal colleges infringing on the rights of students. Now Texas Tech expels a student for tasteless speech regarding vigils for Charlie Kirk, and businesses are firing people for exercising their free speech rights. So it’s OK to call out and censure free speech the GOP dislikes. The hypocrisy of the MAGA party knows no bounds. — Matt Stone, Petaluma

Remind networks that First Amendment matters Editor: I’m old enough to remember network news as the purveyor of truth. I remember clinging to every word from Walter Cronkite after John F. Kennedy was shot, never suspecting his report would be slanted. What a change the networks have made, clearly driven by a Federal Communications Commission chairman who has no authority to censor anybody. Shame on ABC, and for that matter, CBS, for lacking the courage to stand behind entertainers who speak their own truth. I have visited Cuba and was invited into the back room of a restaurant to hear the whispered truth about the government. There was obvious peril to the speaker in sharing information with Americans. Are we now standing on a precipice, ready to fall into a news vacuum or one where only censored news is allowed? I hope those of us who share my concerns will ensure that our networks are aware of our feelings: the First Amendment matters, and speaking truth to power is our right as American citizens. — Jan Gilman, Santa Rosa