Letters to the editor for Dec. 18
End COVID-19 gym closures
This message was sent to Gov. Inslee concerning his order closing gyms and athletic facilities throughout our state.
As a physician, I know the importance of a healthy immune system in decreasing both the likelihood of infection and the severity of an infection. We also know that people with impaired immunity due to metabolic dysfunction seen in obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disease are at increased risk for both contracting and suffering severe consequences of COVID-19.
As a physician I have been encouraging my patients that regular moderate exercise is one of the most important factors to avoid chronic disease and improve immune function. With the short, cold, rainy days of the season, many Washingtonians are unable to exercise now that the gyms are closed.
It seems to me that that gym closures are likely to worsen the health of Washingtonians and thus increase the severity of COVID infections in our state. For the health of our state, I request that the governor allow the gyms to reopen.
Dr. Dennis E. Smith, Olympia
Trump supporter shoots antifascist demonstrator two weeks in a row
On Dec. 5, a Trump supporter shot into a crowd of protesters and grazed one with a bullet. On Dec. 12, a MAGA hat enthusiast shot another protester and person of color who is in the hospital due to the injury.
I am writing this as a community member and an antifascist, concerned at the far-right mobs and militias who gather every weekend at our Capitol to undermine the democratically held election, and spread hate speech and COVID, as they make it a point to gather without masks. They have used homemade bombs in each encounter. They also send me and my comrades death threats.
Trump crowds are dangerous to the community. Groups of fascists drive around town and intimidate residents. When they are in town, there are always reports of one or two Black or brown or queer community members downtown, unrelated to protests, being chased down, assaulted, robbed, and brutalized by these groups. Hate groups such as the Proud Boys, Three Percenters, American Wolf, Patriot Prayer, and more are known to use these rallies as recruitment opportunities and initiate their friends in the art of maiming people deemed subhuman.
Trump rallies pose a risk to people in our community. Fascism of any sort cannot be accepted. Fascism is an ideology that deems marginalized groups as lesser and works to ensure they are treated as such. Fascist rallies normalize violence, and fascist rhetoric becomes policy soon enough. Policy designed to punish and subjugate POC, LGBT, immigrants, and activists. When they’re here, no one is safe.
Miguel Louis, Olympia
Congress must pass a COVID-19 relief package
It is outrageous that Congress can even consider going home before passing a relief bill.
Almost 10 percent of Washingtonians are experiencing food scarcity and one fourth of those who are behind in rent or mortgage payments will likely be evicted in the next two months. That’s about 7,000 of our neighbors who are staring homelessness in the face in the middle of a pandemic. Nationally, nearly 83 milion Americans had trouble paying for rent/mortgage and food during November.
We can do better than this. There is no excuse for Congress to abandon the most vulnerable just when vaccines are becoming available.
I urge Washington’s Congressional delegation to support the emerging bi-partisan COVID Relief plan to increase SNAP (food stamps) benefits, extend unemployment benefits and provide rental assistance along with an extension of the national CDC eviction moratorium. Your calls to Senators Murray and Cantwell as well as your representative will help pressure Congress to complete this work before they go home.
Carol Kraege, Olympia