Letters to Editor

Editor:

While I agree with Earick Ward (Letters, Jan. 25) that the U.S. must solve the major problem of illegal immigration and secure our borders, I disagree with placing all the blame on the Democratic Party and not holding the Republican Party to the same assessment and scrutiny.

There is enough blame to go around for all parties involved. Mr. Ward’s letter didn’t offer one solution and did not mention the proposed bipartisan proposal coming from the Senate that will do at least something to begin to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.

A bipartisan agreement is the only way to solve our problems. The Democrats aren’t going to get all they want, and the same goes for the Republicans.

Trump and many in his party are campaigning loudly against supporting this proposed bill, saying it is “dead on arrival” in the House.

I urge Republicans to commit to working with the Democratic Party on bipartisan solutions to our very serious problems instead of leveling blame for, and thus, weaponizing, our immigration problem.

Brian Tivnan Mutual 5 Editor:

I am responding to a letter (Jan. 25) that spoke negatively about immigrants.

The idea that illegal immigrants bring crime, drugs and terrorism is simply not true. Undocumented immigrants as a group have the lowest crime rate of any group in the U.S. The native-born are much more likely to commit crime and terrorism, and to import drugs. Immigrants come to work hard and get ahead.

Do immigrants harm our economy?

To the contrary, we have a million jobs that are unfilled because we have a shortage of workers. Americans are not reproducing themselves, so we need to import workers to maintain our strong economic growth. We also need more “fighting-age” workers to support those of us who are on Social Security.

As a practical matter, it would be better to eliminate illegal immigration and increase legal immigration. But that would take some serious changes in our immigration and asylum laws, which the GOP has consistently blocked.

The GOP seems to prefer scoring political points with its base rather than constructive bipartisan solutions.

It seems to me that the people who are destroying the U.S.A. are the extremists in the MAGA crowd.

It’s immigrants like our forebears who have made America great—and immigrants are still making a positive contribution.

Robert Vroon Mutual 7 Editor:

I’m responding to a disconcerting letter (Jan. 25) by Mutual 7 resident Earick Ward.

The letter blamed illegal immigration and the Democratic Party for both federal and California deficits. Illegal immigration into the U.S. has been a persistent issue since the 1970s. The letter’s rhetoric is straight from the Republican playbook, focusing attention and blame on others.

Texas is second to California in number of illegal immigrants. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice reviewed crime rates within Texas and legal status, and found undocumented immigrants had lower crime rates than U.S.-born citizens.

The U.S. debt attributed to the Democratic Party is untrue. The federal deficit was balanced by President Clinton in 2000.

The deficit was 9.8% of the GNP at the end of President G.W. Bush’s term and 12% in 2021 following President Trump’s term.

The Republican Party has increased the U.S. debt and deficit over the last 20 years.

The Democratic Party is not dead and isn’t being influenced by communists and socialists.

If you fear the destruction of the republic, then don’t vote for Trump as he did his best on Jan. 6, 2021, to do just that!

Teresa Charlesworth Mutual 15

Editor:

I am offering a potential solution to the angst felt by me when confronted with hot political rhetoric in your Letters to the Editor (Perspectives page).

You must simply require citations. All stated facts (unless common knowledge) and all ideas not originating with the writer must be cited as to source of the information.

Not only will this give the readers the advantage of knowing that the opinion is based on accepted facts, but it will give them an opportunity to further explore the topic by having a credible source to follow up with.

It will also encourage the writer to survey the field and examine perspectives of others.

Students in California grades 6-12 are taught how to cite sources when writing persuasive essays (opinion pieces). These skills are imbedded in the California Department of Education Standards and are taught to promote clarity and strength when writing ( https:// www.cde.ca.gov/).

There is no excuse for any public-spirited newspaper to publish inflammatory and uncited misinformation.

This is not what Freedom of Speech means.

“Civility and respect” will follow if published words are founded in facts and opinions that are cited.

Ann Gallagher Mutual 4 Editor:

I’d like to thank and compliment the people at LW Weekly for allowing my and Earick Ward’s letters to the editor.

As you can see in the articles in the Feb. 1 LW Weekly, numerous dissenting views wanted to shut down our views.

Our country was much better for all of us with the previous president of the United States, and if you don’t believe that, check your gas, grocery, clothing and car, etc., prices. We had no wars and less crime during that administration vs. today’s.

President Biden immediately reversed every positive action of the Trump administration in his first days in office.

Look at recent illegal migrants that ganged up on the two police officers who were trying to arrest a criminal. They kicked them in the head and face just like gangs do.

Luckily, the officers didn’t die from the head kicks. But all five illegal criminals that were arrested were immediately released with no bail.

So again, thank you for our freedom of speech in Leisure World.

Ron Nett Mutual 8 Editor:

For almost 20 years I have been attending the GRF Board meetings. Every time members entered the meetings, they were greeted by the executive director and some administration managers. Everybody had a smile on their face.

The greetings were warm and sincere. It was a nice time to socialize. At the registration table, there were two secretaries who, in a very friendly way, offered us assistance. If a GRF member wanted to address the board, he submited a Comments Card to one of the secretaries, who took it.

Noweverythinghaschanged. Nobody greets us at the entry to the board meeting, no secretaries at the registration table. To address the board, you need to present the Comment Card to the secretary, who is on the stage. Thank you to the vice president, who assisted me at the last GRF Board meeting. Today, I see many bad changes. I am treated as a second sort of person; even everything the GRF has is paid by us.

I presented two letters regarding management and personal problems. Both were unanswered, simply ignored. And the problems are growing.

Mark Pogrebinsky Mutual 12 Editor:

As I read responses to my Jan. 25 letter to the editor, Ronald Reagan’s famous quip entered my thoughts: “The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant, it’s that they know so much that isn’t so.”

I presented facts about the current state of illegal immigration, with few responses challenging the veracity of my content, but as is common when people can’t pound the facts, they pound the table.

We are a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of laws. If we abandon the law, what is the fabric that holds our nation together? Is the drive to electoral advantage so strong that we’d let a party purposely skirt the laws of our land to entice newly-minted voters to our shores, grateful to said party for the “get out of jail free” card and rich benefits issued them at the border processing center?

Donald Trump signed executive orders directing the Department of Homeland Security to stop/stall the illegal invasion at the border, resulting in the lowest illegal border crossings in a generation.

On Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden signed six EO’s overturning President Trump’s orders, terminating the National Emergency at the southwest border, resulting in the highest illegal border crossings in our nations history.

Drugs (fentanyl), sexually assaulted/trafficked women and under-age girls, crime increasing in every city inhabited by illegal immigrants and the increased threat of terror (FBI Director Wray). Is this our future? I pray not. Say no to Joe (and Obama).

Earick Ward Mutual 7 Editor:

Today’s LW Weekly had a page full of seven politically partisan exchanges.

Though we have the right to share such opinions, I don’t believe these exchanges add to any thought-provoking political insights. Though passionate, these letters only seem to be preaching to their particuar choir that just adds fuel to their already highly partisan audience.

My healthy hunch is that most of our LW community have already decided how they will vote since this is not our first partisan rodeo.

Thus, the result of these Perspective voices is to not persuade anyone, but rather to rile up the “other side.” Instead of adding such fuel, I encourage these few but vocal voices to instead take a chill pill and use such time to take more time to relax.

If you have a valued political voice to add, there are already (way too?) many existing political outlets to add your perspectives. By letting go of such tension, you will be freed up to encourage our LW community to focus not on our differences but rather on sharing more joy, helpful service and being just plain kind.

We can also be free to then exercise our constitutional right to vote that has been handed down to us by those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for these freedoms. May God bless America in this very challenging time of crisis when more unity, not less, is needed to address the serious challenges facing us in this year ahead.

Lee Howell Mutual 5