Denver Post letter writer urges unity: “political party shouldn’t define us” – The Denver Post
Trending: <br>The largest mistake Americans could make at present is figuring out themselves by political party. We ought to as an alternative select points that want motion, and search consensus to make enhancements, even when they're incremental. Party identification creates an “us vs. them” mindset the place everybody loses.<br>Arguably, the largest culprits to dysfunction in America are the Democratic and Republican events, who flip Americans in opposition to one another. Americans have way more various views than two events can include, and much better concepts collectively than both party alone.<br>Yet, we Americans first permit ourselves to tackle certainly one of two group identities after which settle for dehumanized caricatures of the opposite group, comprised of cherry-picked occasions and warped simplifications. The ensuing battle in authorities implies that the events battle to achieve 50% help for points that almost all of Americans really agree on.<br>Compromise is a necessary characteristic of life in a civil society. Grudges and scorched earth behaviors create pointless battle that wastes time and sources and ignore the presence of current consensus amongst constituents. The true energy of a gaggle is demonstrated when it will get issues carried out, and it’s arguably simpler when party id takes a again seat.<br>The revolution we search is in renouncing party id for the substitute, manipulative ploy that it's. Instead, let’s acknowledge huge points for the thorny issues that they're and work collectively to resolve them as the various Americans we're, by searching for consensus and recognizing the worth of compromise.<br><strong>Joe von Fischer,</strong> <em>Fort Collins</em><br><em>Re: “Who approves of Biden?” Oct. 24 letter to the editor</em><br>The letter you printed in Sunday’s paper is so rife with half-truths and outright falsehoods that it would as properly have come from The Desk of Donald Trump. I perceive that the editorial board is attempting to supply a discussion board for a spread of opinions, however that effort mustn't facilitate the spreading of misinformation. One apparent purpose for the president’s waning reputation is the widespread propagation of Republican speaking factors which have little or no foundation in truth. I anticipate to see this sort of bilge on OAN or Fox, however not in The Post.<br>If you possibly can’t discover any anti-Biden commentary in your inbox that isn’t laced with Trumpian inaccuracy, perhaps it's best to simply go away a clean area within the letters column with the word: “Insert Right-wing Fantasy Rant Here.”<br>C’mon, man!<br><strong>George Zepernick,</strong> <em>Denver</em><br>I approve of President Joe Biden and the job he's trying to do for us!<br>In reply to the letter, I wish to level out just a few issues. The following are usually not within the management of the president: gasoline costs, the provision chain issues, and the habits of fogeys in school board conferences.<br>The empty cabinets and inflation are being brought on by the provision chain — not presidential coverage. The scarcity of staff is brought on by all kinds of causes: acquiring training that permits entry to a brand new job; discovering that the hours supplied are usually not regular or assured; discovering that salaries/hourly wages don’t present a livable wage; lack of office security; lack of inexpensive childcare; founding their very own enterprise … the checklist goes on.<br>Drugs come into this nation through ports — not people trying to enter our nation via the southern border. The launched people are asylum seekers awaiting judicial hearings, however our immigration courts are behind. Their launch is each humane and economical.<br>The investigation into the Jan. 6 rebellion is each acceptable and needed. Innocent guests to the Capitol don't enter via a window they broke. The Capitol police have been severely outnumbered and did their finest to maintain our elected representatives protected.<br>In the meantime, we should cease vilifying or threatening those that disagree with us. Let’s begin listening and discovering widespread floor. Let’s work collectively to maintain our nation an instance of excellent governance.<br><strong>Sally Isaacson,</strong> <em>Denver</em><br><em>Re: “Under the rug: DAM’s acquisitions suspect,” Oct. 24 letter to the editor</em><br>I can not fathom the gall of the the letter writer to counsel that Fred and Jan Mayer got here by their acquisitions illegally. Here now we have a museum the place these two beneficiant benefactors have given tens of millions of {dollars}, effort and time to carry these artifacts to life for the<br /> viewers.<br>The Elgin Marbles have been rescued by Lord Elgin at his personal expense from Greece and delivered to England from a closely broken Parthenon. Thank goodness for Lord Elgin and the British Museum. And thank goodness for the Mayers who've given the Denver Art Museum a lot.<br><strong>Jenene Stookesberry,</strong> <em>Denver</em><br><em>Re: “Scandalous abuse of custodial funds and voter’s will,” Oct. 24 commentary</em><br>I discover George Brauchler’s phrases in Sunday’s Perspective to be contradictory.<br>He states that “The secretary of state and attorney general have spent incredible sums of money,” that “could have been provided to local clerks and recorders, the true defenders of our election integrity,” and that “Colorado deserves a government that treats us with respect,” and “to at least discourage them from treating us with contempt.”<br>Enter Tina Peters, the “elected” clerk and recorder of Mesa County. Where’s her “respect” for us and your “contempt” for her, Brauchler?<br><strong>Myra Louise Bender,</strong> <em>Denver</em><br><em>Re: “Colorado’s direct democracy is under attack,” Oct. 20 commentary and “Scandalous abuse of custodial funds and voter’s will,” Oct. 24 commentary</em><br>It is ironic to learn Denver Post opinion items from Colorado Republican leaders Bill Owens and George Brauchler lauding direct democracy via voter initiatives. This is identical party working additional time to make voting harder wherever it controls state governments, designing gerrymandered legislative districts to guarantee {that a} minority of voters controls a majority of elected representatives, opposing the favored election of presidents, and united in its opposition to illustration in Congress for American residents dwelling within the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.<br>It isn’t straightforward to search out the proper stability between the checks and balances of a consultant, small “r,” republican kind authorities ruled by legislators and a instantly responsive, small “d,” democratic type of authorities ruled by voter initiatives. Those who drafted the United States Constitution struggled with the problem, and Americans have argued about it since 1789. But quickly shifting from one aspect of an argument to the opposite based mostly on self-curiosity and political preferences ought to no less than be accompanied by a blush.<br>The drafters of the Constitution didn’t envision laws by voter initiative, nor might they bring about themselves to help the common proper to vote. I’d counsel that they have been proper to favor consultant authorities, and mistaken to restrict the franchise to males with property. It could be higher to see huge “R” Republicans supporting a consultant, republican authorities together with insurance policies that encourage and allow widespread democratic participation in elections.<br><strong>Paul Lingenfelter,</strong> <em>Westminster</em><br><em>Re: “Denying refuge,” Oct. 24 commentary</em><br>Karen Musalo references Border Patrol brokers on horseback “carrying whip-like cords while encountering migrants …”<br>That isn't what is going on by the Border Agent on horseback, within the image, on web page 4D.<br>Reins are lengthy leather-based straps, connected to a bridle, and are used to manage and information the horse. Reins are usually not whips. The professor ought to take a course on equestrian research.<br><strong>Jeffrey Esbenshade,</strong> <em>Littleton</em><br><em>Re: “Fentanyl deaths surge,” Sept. 26 information story</em><br>The on-line headline of Elise Schmelzer’s heartbreaking report, “A drug of mass destruction’: Fentanyl deaths surge in Colorado, reaching an average of two fatalities a day,” was not hyperbole — there's a rising motion within the United States to have illicit fentanyl formally designated as a weapon of mass destruction.<br>Families Against Fentanyl, the nonprofit I based after dropping my son Tommy to fentanyl poisoning in 2015, has introduced collectively specialists and 1000's of households to induce the U.S. to formally label illicit fentanyl a WMD. In July, we issued an open letter to the Biden Administration requesting formal WMD designation of illicit fentanyl. The letter was co-signed by senior nationwide safety specialists spanning the George W. Bush, Obama and Trump presidential administrations.<br>A WMD declaration would open up beforehand untapped sources within the struggle in opposition to illicit fentanyl; it will activate an all-of-authorities strategy that will extra aggressively goal the smugglers flooding our nation with the lethal drug at our nation’s borders. Most importantly, it will save lives.<br><strong>James Rauh,</strong> <em>Akron, Ohio</em><br>Most anti-vaxxers appear to suppose that “my body, my decision” is an OK reply to these of us who want that they'd clever up and get vaccinated. Well, I've information for you. It’s not simply your physique, your resolution.<br>Living in a civilized society calls for that you just obey sure guidelines: the foundations of the street, for instance, or the rule about not capturing a gun off within the metropolis. Just as a result of there is no such thing as a penalty so that you can not get vaccinated doesn’t imply it’s your selection. You are endangering others in addition to your self by your foolhardiness.<br>This pandemic could be over a lot sooner if solely everybody eligible had obtained vaccinated. It’s science, y’all.<br><strong>Susan Permut,</strong> <em>Monument</em><br><em>Re: “Leaders request investigation,” Oct. 30 information story</em><br>It is due to such tales as this one which progressive psychological well being applications are important and are rising throughout the nation. The subhead says, “Police officer threw woman in crisis to ground after church staff called for medical help.”<br>Although many cops have hung out in disaster intervention coaching concerning psychological well being, it's a one who is a psychological well being skilled who can come on the scene and deescalate a scenario and have entry and sources for coping with the one that is of concern.<br>I turned an advocate for such applications after a buddy’s daughter was arrested whereas in the midst of a psychotic episode. There was no psychological well being workers concerned in her arrest. She was taken to jail and spent months with out adequate psychological well being help.<br>I encourage you to analysis such applications as CAHOOTS (Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets). This program started 31 years in the past in Eugene, Ore. It is an progressive group-based mostly public security system to supply psychological well being first response for crises involving psychological sickness, homelessness and dependancy. The CAHOOTS mannequin has been within the highlight lately as our nation struggles to reimagine public security. There are different applications which might be catching as much as this humane program, akin to CIRT (Crisis Intervention Response Team) in Boulder, CORE (Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement) in Longmont, STAR (Support Team Assisted Response) in Denver, amongst others. You can press for such applications in your group and concentrate on elevating funds to make it occur.<br><strong>Alan Johnson,</strong> <em>Boulder</em><br><em>Re: “Rein in rhetoric,” Oct. 31 letter to the editor</em><br>Just a fast statement to the letter writer: If you're feeling you’re about to be trampled by a person on an 800- to 1,000-pound horse wielding a “long leather strap,” you in all probability don’t care if the dictionary calls it a rein (lengthy leather-based strap) or a whip (lengthy leather-based strap).<br><strong>Steve Caplan,</strong> <em>Durango</em><br><em>Re: “Rittenhouse self-defense claim is strong, legal experts believe” and “Justice Dept. to pay $88M to families, victims of massacre,” Oct. 29 information tales</em><br>The phrases within the headline, “Rittenhouse self-defense claim is strong,” ought to make Americans sick to their stomachs, but it surely received’t. Why? Because we love our weapons greater than something on Earth, and the concept that a 17-yr-outdated takes an “AR-style semiautomatic rifle” from one state to a different and kills two males and wounds one other and purports “self-defense,” properly, it’s enterprise as regular.<br>Elsewhere, in the identical version of The Post, “Justice Dept. to pay $88M to families, victims of massacre,” as a result of a gun background test was bungled. Shame on the background checkers.<br>Meanwhile, down in New Mexico, fingers are being pointed on the producers, head armorer, and Alec Baldwin over the gun-<br /> associated loss of life of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Lawsuits can be filed and paid off. Maybe some extra punishments will comply with — a yr or extra from now.<br>Meanwhile, the lifeless are nonetheless lifeless.<br><strong>Craig Marshall Smith,</strong> <em>Highlands Ranch</em><br>When I used to be a youthful man, there was an enormous ruckus a few plan for a bridge in Alaska that went nowhere. I'm an outdated man now and the Colorado State Rams soccer staff goes nowhere. I don’t keep in mind what they did concerning the bridge. But, I do know it's time to clear home in Fort Collins!<br><strong>William Hagen,</strong> <em>Dacono</em><br><em>Re: “Miller partly responsible for Broncos’ current state,” Nov. 2 commentary</em><br>Von Miller is traded to the LA Rams and your lead story and the headline on web page 1A is a imply spirited “glad the guy is gone” opinion column about this.<br>If this commerce is an important story of the day, report the story however a column claiming Miller was the massive drawback with the Broncos efficiency lowers the credibility of your paper. Keep the sports activities columns within the sports activities part. Keep information on the entrance web page.<br><strong>Michael May,</strong> <em>Lakewood</em><br><em>Re: “Chief retires amid criticism,” Oct. 9 information story</em><br>As a former Westminster division head for nearly 30 years, it was so disheartening to see how former Police Chief Tim Carlson’s personnel matter was dealt with. What isn't talked about within the press launch concerning the so-referred to as unbiased investigation that led to his resignation was the truth that Tim devoted his profession and his life to legislation enforcement and the City of Westminster.<br>During his time with the town he was shot and injured in a automobile wreck whereas pursing a fleeing felon in 2010. As along with his fellow cops, Carlson put his life on the road day by day he confirmed as much as work. One should perceive the problem of managing a police division of tons of of legislation enforcement personnel at a time in our nation’s historical past of bitter divisions regarding the supply of legislation enforcement providers.<br>Add to {that a} cacophony of calls for by the police union How many division heads in Westminster and different native governments have seen themselves requested to or compelled to depart their positions because of a change in notion of their administration effectiveness. The subsequent police chief can be thought-about higher at “herding cats” than Chief Carlson– till they aren’t. But there are methods to deal with personnel points in a approach that honors the service an worker has given with out subjecting that worker to public humiliation. Westminster woefully failed on this regard.<br><strong>Martin McCullough,</strong> <em>Westminster</em><br><em>Re: “Governor wants record $40B budget,” Nov. 2 information story</em><br>As an Adams County Commissioner, it's my job to assist make my group a safer, extra profitable place for each my constituents and guests. But with such frequent Air Quality Action Alerts issued by our state division of well being this summer time, it makes my job troublesome.<br>Poor air high quality, brought on by local weather change and oil and gasoline improvement, impacts all of us. It can forestall folks from getting outdoors and having fun with the good open air Colorado is thought for and consequently have an effect on our out of doors<br /> economies, and it may well notably have an effect on people with respiratory illnesses or those that dwell in disproportionately impacted<br /> communities.<br>Colorado wants daring motion now from state leaders to get this concern below management. The Air Quality Control Commission could be a part of the answer by adopting guidelines to instantly regulate oil and gasoline exercise to cut back air air pollution. I urge others throughout the state to let Gov. Jared Polis and the AQCC know that we should act swiftly to handle this environmental, public well being and financial concern to guard all Coloradans.<br><strong>Eva Henry,</strong> <em>Adams County</em><br><em>Re: “Oil giants deny spreading disinformation,” Oct. 29 information story</em><br>So Congress is holding hearings on misinformation coming from the oil firms. My query is, when are we going to carry hearings on all of the misinformation popping out of Congress?<br><strong>Robert Baxter,</strong> <em>Pine Junction</em><br>President Biden’s approval ranking is a low 38%. How is it that top?<br>The southern border is catastrophic. In the final two months alone, Biden’s administration has launched 70,000 illegals into the U.S. Biden, the cartels’ finest buddy, has enabled vastly elevated smuggling of medication, folks, weapons, gang members, and terrorists, and intercourse trafficking, growing cartel revenue by tons of of tens of millions.<br>Gas is up $1/gallon as a result of Biden destroyed our vitality independence. Inflation is at a 30-yr excessive, elevating prices, together with dwelling heating prices.<br>Shelves are emptying. There are 10.4 million jobs out there, however not sufficient staff to dump ships and inventory cabinets. Government COVID insurance policies and free cash applications have disincentivized work.<br>The Department of Justice and the FBI have been requested to be weaponized in opposition to dad and mom who get passionate in school board conferences and they're going after Jan. 6 Capitol protesters, a lot of whom thought they have been welcome since Capitol Police stood apart.<br>The horrible, botched Afghanistan withdrawal ought to have dropped Biden’s approval ranking to zero. Thirteen troopers killed, Americans (and inexperienced-card holders) left behind enemy strains, and $85 billion in army gear left for the enemy. Our allies weren't given adequate warning to get their personnel out. The Taliban is killing and torturing. Biden doesn’t even point out it.<br>If you approve of the job Biden is doing, please write and inform why.<br><strong>Bruce Many,</strong> <em>Eckert</em><br>A pressure harming the Postal Service, is strengthening its affect. Postmaster Louis DeJoy, former CEO of New Breed Logistics, a provide chain administration firm, appointed by Trump in June 2020, successfully slowed the Postal System previous to the 2020 elections.<br>Louis DeJoy will keep his USPS place till we ask Biden to switch Ron Bloom from the Postal Board of Governors in order that the president and the Postal board can hearth DeJoy. A CBS headline says “Mail delivery slowdown: USPS to slow delivery starting October 1.” While a Forbes Headline says: “Louis DeJoy’s Former Company, New Breed Logistics, May Have Overcharged Postal Service By $53 Million, Audit Found.”<br>I like the put up workplace. It has carried out its operate of sustaining our democracy with unbiased, wonderful and unfailing, provider service, to each nook of the nation, not simply the worthwhile ones. Please petition President Biden to switch Ron Bloom on the USPS Board of Governors.<br><strong>John Hoffmann,</strong> <em>Carbondale</em><br><em>Re: “Six relics still at Denver museum,” Oct. 16 information story</em><br>The lately printed article concerning the illegally obtained Cambodian artifacts, by the Denver Art Museum (DAM), can be coated intimately within the Washington Post. The artifacts have been illegally looted out of Cambodia, illegally transported into the U.S., and bought or donated to the DAM understanding full properly their nature.<br>Perhaps this could not be so unhealthy if it have been an exception to their acquisition coverage. But it's merely a tip within the DAM iceberg of iniquity. One window I obtained on that may be a few years in the past after I was taking part in a world archaeological convention in Paris. I discussed to European archaeologists that I used to be serving to with an exhibit at a Denver museum, and so they requested “which museum, the good one or the bad one?” The good one, I used to be informed, is the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, and the unhealthy one is the Denver Art Museum. I requested why is the DAM internationally thought-about to be so unhealthy, and so they mentioned it is likely one of the worst on the earth for getting illegally looted and smuggled artifacts.<br>Consider, if you'll, the gadgets donated from a Denverite who obtained very wealthy from oil and gasoline in Texas, named Fred Mayer. Mayer and his spouse Jan are listed because the donors of no less than a dozens, probably extra, archaeologically vital gadgets from Costa Rica — together with many jade beads and pendants.<br>I've been doing analysis in Costa Rica since 1984, and the nation has been very strict that no historical artifact can go away the nation with out permission, after which it is just for mortgage. I've seen the archaeological websites which were destroyed by looters searching for artifacts for unlawful worldwide gross sales, particularly beautiful jades, and in addition polychrome pottery and different artifacts. And a few of these kinds of artifacts are proudly on show within the DAM. How did a non-public donor purchase them legally?<br>Those artifacts should be returned to their nation of origin: Costa Rica. I volunteer to help with contacting the suitable authorities in Costa Rica, and help with their return.<br><strong>Payson Sheets,</strong> <em>Boulder</em><br><em>Editor’s word: Sheets is a professor of anthropology on the University of Colorado Boulder.</em><br><em>To ship a letter to the editor about this text, submit <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/submit-letter/">online</a> or try our <a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2013/07/09/submission-guidelines-and-contact-information/">guidelines</a> for the way to submit by e mail or mail.</em><br>Sign up for Newsletters and Alerts<br><br><a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2021/11/03/denver-post-letters-put-politics-aside/">source</a>
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