THE PEOPLE SPEAK IN THE LATEST BATCH OF ‘LETTERS TO THE EDITOR’
Wear A Mask
Dear Editor:
Illinois made great strides fighting COVID-19, but it will take sustained effort and discipline to keep the virus under control. Illinois doctors are asking everyone to take two simple actions when in public: always wear a face covering and continue to maintain social distancing. The recent uptick in coronavirus diagnoses should give us all pause. We all want to return to normal, but in the near term “normal” includes wearing a mask that completely covers your nose and mouth. Wearing a mask is important even if you don’t feel sick. Many individuals infected with COVID-19 do not display any symptoms. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging everyone to wear a mask while in public.
The CDC cites growing research supporting the use of masks to prevent COVID-19 transmission. One study used contract tracing to track client interactions when it was discovered two Missouri hair stylists tested positive for the virus. Both stylists had consistently worn masks while seeing clients in the days prior to their diagnosis, and none of their clients contracted the virus. Based on the results of the contact tracing, the CDC believes that active mask use by the stylists and their clients was a critical factor in blocking the transmission of the virus.
We can do this, but we must commit to doing it together.
Robert W. Panton, M.D. President,
Illinois State Medical Society
Speaker Nancy Pelosi Betrays America
Dear Editor:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated in an interview on CNN this week, that the virus causing our pandemic is the “Trump virus” and blames President Trump for what she labels the “disintegrating relations between the U.S. and China”. Has she lost her mind? It is the Communist Chinese government who turned the man-made COVID-19 virus loose on America and the world. Of course, US-China relations are not great right now; why would they be? Is the creation of a world-wide pandemic an act of friendship? The Communist Chinese government is the enemy of the world right now because they are responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has cost American lives and untold trillions of dollars.
Speaker Pelosi, just how many Americans do the Communist Chinese have to kill with the COVID virus during this pandemic before you back America and the president? Not to mention the huge financial cost. It appears Nancy Pelosi is colluding with the Communist Chinese government by propagandizing for them; she is the enemy of America when she lies and calls COVID-19 the “Trump Virus”. She is senile or a traitor, either way she needs to be held accountable and removed from the position of house speaker immediately.
Surely, the democrat-controlled House of Representatives can see that; we demand a house speaker that backs America!
Roger German, Decatur
Anti-Mask People Should Try Thinking Of Somebody Other Than Themselves
Dear Editor:
It’s been disheartening reading some recent letters criticizing you for listening to public health authorities and taking the COVID-19 pandemic seriously. I’m curious where their authors earned their medical degrees, and what public health expertise they have that even qualifies them to have an opinion on the matter. The CDC has made their recommendations on testing, social distancing, and wearing masks based on their actual expertise in public health, not because they nonsensically blather on in press conferences like others in our government. We achieve herd immunity for diseases, like measles, mumps, or diphtheria, by developing vaccines and vaccinating enough people to protect vulnerable populations, not by carelessly exposing them and causing needless illness and deaths, because it’s 2020, not 1920.
All the people I’ve talked to who’ve contracted mild cases of COVID-19 have been pretty clear that it’s not “just a flu”, and are facing the prospect of lasting health problems long after the virus is gone. I’ll continue following CDC guidelines and wearing a mask not because it protects me, which it probably doesn’t, but because it protects others from me if I’m shedding the virus without knowing it, either asymptomatically or before showing symptoms.
Maybe the delicate flowers who cry about government tyranny or how they can’t breathe because of a piece of cloth should try thinking about somebody other than themselves for once. Keep on fighting the good fight, Paul.
Zach Gooding, Bloomingdale, IL
Recent Tribune Articles Of Special Interest To Reader
Dear Editor:
I have noticed in a couple recent issues of the “Tribune” articles of interest to me: #1 – June 17 – The article about the 1945 DHS basketball team. Dad got me out of school (Roosevelt Jr. High) and we went to the tournament. I’ll never forget! You are right, the Galesburg game was really the best game. Although these players are passed now, I’ll never forget them.
I think Bob Doster went on to be the captain of the University of Illinois team. The best team ever! (DHS Team). #2 – June 24 – Decatur High School should never been torn down and replaced by the Civic Center (which I always called the House of Corruption).
Ken Cochennour, Peoria
DHS Class of 1950
America Against God
Dear Editor:
The presence of ungodly mobs on the streets of many American cities, every night, is clear proof of the mis-education which has been taking place in our education system. The great sacrifices made by earlier generations of Americans have been forgotten by many of the present generation. Forgotten too, were the great Godly principles, this great nation was founded upon! The past great contributions America has made to this World is all but forgotten. Without America’s contributions in feeding many parts of this world, and in defeating many past evil enemies in the world, this world would be in terrible shape.
We need to thank God for this nation, and we also need, to thank America for trying to follow God’s principles! America needs to get back to God and to the just laws and principles set forth by Him. Obviously, rioting, louting, burning, disrespecting, and killing law enforcement fellow human being, are just the opposite of what God commands His created human world to do. You should have been taught that at home and in school!
Unfortunately, for America, too many ungodly people were placed in the Supreme Court of America, and they voted God out of schools and government places. That was not all their ungodly decisions. They also went against God’s Laws and Legalized the killing of unborn babies, and other abominations, such as, same-sex marriage. Once upon a time, laws required schools to teach about God and His Word (The Bible). Now because of Court decisions they cannot! Now a large part of America does not know about God, eternal life, and eternal damnation. Because they do not know, they will eventually spend eternity in Hades, and the Lake of Fire. Two places, one would not want to be in for eternity!
Manuel Ybarra, Jr., Coalgate, OK
It was reported today, “the United States GDP fell 32.9% in the second quarter of 2020, the Department of Commerce reported, marking the largest decline the country has ever seen.” The communist Chinese govt’s creation of the COVID-19 pandemic is a borderline act of war. They have and are doing great harm to this country!
China owns an estimated $1.3 trillion in U.S. Treasury bonds, the US should refuse payment when China decides to cash in the bonds for partial payment of their covid-19 pandemic. Over 150,000 COVID-19 deaths in America and an overall cost of an estimated $5 Trillion dollars to Americans. What the Chinese communists have done to America and the world is despicable! They must be held accountable!