Letters to the editor for Jan. 30
Hate has no home here
On Jan. 14, at a Capital High School basketball game, students targeted a Black student playing for the other team, yelling racist insults and making monkey noises. This is NOT okay. And although Olympia residents like to believe they are liberal and all is okay, I grew up here, it’s extremely covertly racist.
Disturbing fact: School officials and parents at the game did nothing, basically condoning this behavior. In effect, brushing it off as normal and insignificant. As we all know, racist behavior is not isolated events, it is a pattern of abuse and oppression. Those choosing this ideology and behavior have learned there’s no consequences from those in authority.
It’s sad these youth lack morals, good sportsmanship and simply the ability to treat others with a modicum of civility. Imagine what kind of adults these ignorant youth will become.
And although the district cannot discuss disciplinary steps taken on students or school officials, it’s safe to say it won’t be hard enough. I’m repulsed at these youth, their parents, and school officials. This didn’t happen in a vacuum, it was taught and encouraged by everyone involved, by doing nothing in the past.
So, listen up to the message loud and clear: Hate Has NO Home in Olympia!
Andryea Grazier, Olympia
Allen’s praise of Texas is a nonsensical rant
The Olympian recently printed a disingenuous opinion piece written by Cynthia M. Allen, “As COVID rises across the US, pandemic life is better in Texas.” This highly opinionated piece strongly criticizes the requirement of proof of vaccine to enter most public establishments and wearing of a mask in indoor settings.
Naming New York City as one where these infringements on personal liberty have been implemented, Texas is, she writes, “fully reopened since last spring with no discernible effect on hospitalization rates.”
In direct contrast to her flawed reasoning are the grim facts: Texas, geographically, is our country’s second largest state, with a population of 29 million. The virus has now claimed over 79,000 lives. Whereas, New York state where 44% of their population, 8.5 million people, live in the confined space of New York City, the virus has taken a smaller toll of approximately 64,000 souls.
Omicron being many times more infectious now accounts for approximately 97% of all new cases. The seven-day average of new cases in Texas is now over 68,000 compared to New York state’s 33,000 However, the author falsely blames this sharp increase on “leaky” vaccines and a president “who has yet to make good on his promise to shut down the virus.”
A president responsible for putting in place a major health service instrumental in producing and freely giving the lifesaving gift of vaccines to over 200 million Americans. A stark contrast to those whose lives are now needlessly lost believing the no mask, no vaccine nonsensical ranting of someone like Ms. Allen.
Robert Swanson, Olympia
COVID isn’t done yet
Some folks are done with the whole pandemic rigmarole. Just move on, get back to normal and live with it.
I’m done with anti-vaxxers, CDC’s confusing guidelines, my body-my choice, freedom, rights, Nazi and holocaust comparisons, micro implanted tracking magnetic chips, etc.
You may be done with the pandemic, but the pandemic is not done with us.
The pandemic still kills 2,000 per day. In the US, 900,000 have already died.
Pretty much, everybody who wanted a shot and booster has been vaccinated.
No amount of government information will convince anti-vaxxers to get theirs. Like the abortion debate, neither side is going to convince the other side.
The anti-vaxxers don’t believe in government “propaganda,” just their own. Every day in the paper, another anti-vaxxer know- it-all dies from this virus. The unvaccinated sit in hospitals hooked up to ventilator tubes, whispering in TV cameras how stupid they were, while pleading others to get vaccinated.
Antivaxxers have the right to die from COVID. Freedom of choice.
Seat belts won’t stop car accidents from happening, but you stand a better chance to survive if you wear one. You also have a better chance to survive COVID with a shot than without it, plus stay out of overcrowded hospitals.
Yes, anti-vaxxers can find vaccinated people who died from COVID. There’re always exceptions to every rule. But I’d rather trust science than go with the science fiction fantasy crowd.
David Cahill, Olympia