Letters to the editor: Veterans Day; presidential election; affordable housing; President Trump – The Daily Camera

Rosemary OConnor: Veterans Day: A personal story of remembrance

This week we mark Veterans Day. My father was one of the crew of a B-29 bomber in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. After one particular mission, heading back to their base on the island of Tinian, my dads airplane was dangerously low on fuel.

Fortunately for my dads crew and plane, just weeks earlier, the Marines had managed to take the island of Iwo Jima. That battle took more than a month of fierce fighting, cost almost 7,000 U.S. Marines their lives, and wounded more than 20,000 more.

If not for their efforts and sacrifice, my fathers plane would have had to ditch in Pacific Ocean and likely none of the crew would have survived. As my dads plane landed safely on Iwo Jima, first one and then another of the planes four engines sputtered and quit for lack of fuel.

So atVeteransDayevery year, while I am grateful to all thevets, I especially think of those Marines who saved my dads life. I can never thank them enough.

Rosemary OConnor

Boulder

Rex Van Gorden: Presidential election: Deep-rooted issues remain

Can Joe Biden heal the divide in our nation? Dont expect it. Trumpism is alive and well!

As is disinformation. Donald Trumps hard core base relied on Trump, Fox News, conservative print and social media and radio for their information. This led to the Dunning-Kruger effect, a type of cognitive bias that causes people to overestimate their knowledge. Inside the echo chamber of opinions Trump supporters were ill informed and overestimated their understanding of the issues.

As is xenophobia. Trumps America-first rhetoric had its roots in xenophobia. Trump supporters hatred of Hispanic and Muslim immigrants were dog whistled out into open hostility: Go back to where you came from.

As is homophobia. Homophobic religious leaders attract large followings even though some of them are secretly homosexual, bisexual, or behave in ways contrary to their teachings.

As is misogyny. Trump is the epitome of someone who objectifies and has a low opinion of women. Even some women were drawn to Trumps misogynistic language and behavior.

As is evangelical fervor. Many evangelicals believed Trump would reverse the rising tide of secularism. Some are one issue, pro-life ideologues. Make America Great Again answered their prayers of a return of the good old days.

As is zero-sum thinking. Many Trump supporters believe that the world, their lives, is a zero-sum game where someone elses gain comes at their expense. They live in the delusion that their failure to thrive is the fault of someone less worthy. They hate those who they think are at fault: immigrants, blacks, women, liberals, elitists, globalists

As is hypocrisy. Rural Trump supporters hold Democrats and socialists in the same regard and contempt, yet they lobby for public welfare. Government subsidies make up 40% of farm income.

As is racism. White supremacists are emboldened.

Rex Van Gorden

Boulder

Susan A. Lythgoe: Affordable housing: The needs are still great

Voters have cast their ballots, and now its time for elected officials to come together and work on urgent housing needs in our communities. Flatirons Habitat for Humanity cannot express strongly enough how critical housing protections are that are set to expire, putting families at risk across the area.

Throughout Colorado, the need for a safe and decent home has been critically important during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need our elected officials to take action now to support policies that will ensure safe, decent, and affordable homes now and for years to come.

We areaskingCongress to pass a set of priorities to provide immediate housing relief, including mortgage and rental payment assistance that will help stave off a looming eviction and foreclosure crisisthatwill disproportionatelyimpactcommunitiesof color.

We are alsocalling on newly elected and reelected policymakers at all levels of government to treat housing as infrastructure and economic recovery as they set their 2021 legislative agendas by including robust funding to buildand preserveaffordable homesin our communities and to ensureequitable access to healthy housing and communities of opportunity.

Habitat is committed to continuingourhousing advocacybyworking with elected officials at all levels of government tocreateand implement policy solutions that will enable access to affordable homes for 10 million people in the U.S.and here in our community.

We believe that no one should have to choose between putting food on the table or having a safe place to sleep at night because the cost of housing is too high. It is critical that we get this right. We challenge every lawmaker to acknowledge the individuals and families in our communities who need greater housing stability and do something about it.

Susan A. Lythgoe

Lafayette

David Gurarie: President Trump: He consistently attacks journalists

When Bob Woodward revealed how Trump misled the public about COVID-19, Trump attacked Woodward. When the New York Times broke the story about Trumps tax returns, he labelled it fake news. We all have different political views, but everyone should be concerned about Trumps hostility toward journalists.

Right now, the Trump administration is trying to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and sentence him to 175 years in prison for helping break important stories about war crimes and civilian casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Trump insults reporters who challenge him. He revokes White House access for those asking tough questions. When he doesnt like the news, he blames the messenger. The Assange case would set a precedent that could easily be applied to any media outlet working with inside sources. Imagine if Trump had the power to prosecute the Times for informing the public about his hidden finances. Thats a scary thought.

David Gurarie

Boulder

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Letters to the editor: Veterans Day; presidential election; affordable housing; President Trump - The Daily Camera