Saturday’s Letters to the Editor

Choices can carry a price

EDITOR: I used to smoke cigarettes. At age 37, I was buying life insurance and a blood test detected nicotine, resulting in a 40% premium increase. I was shocked and called my insurance agent. I said, “Carl, what gives, why a 40% bump?”

Carl said, “That’s the smoker’s penalty. Smokers die sooner than nonsmokers.”

“They can’t charge me extra for smoking,” I said. “That’s like mandating my behavior. That’s not fair, and it’s my choice.”

Carl replied, “Sure, it’s your constitutional right to smoke, but it isn’t your right to have people that don’t smoke help pay for your insurance for the diseases that befall you because you fail to heed the warnings about smoking.”

I quit smoking, which dropped my insurance rate. I had come to agree that it wasn’t right for other people to subsidize my poor health choices.

Lately I’ve wondered why we are subsidizing the poor health choices of the unvaccinated. They certainly have the constitutional right to their choices, but they should also carry the full financial burden of those choices. What do you think?

JOHN ASH

Eureka

Boogaloo killings

EDITOR: West Below asked that we keep Jan. 6, 2021, in perspective as nine people were killed in Black Lives Matter protests vs. five at the Capitol (“Anniversary nears,” Letters, Monday).

I don’t know about all nine deaths relating to Black Lives Matter, but in Northern California the first killing was on May 29, 2020 in Oakland. Steven Carrillo, a member of the right-wing Boogaloo movement, has been charged with killing a federal officer. Authorities say he used a Black Lives Matter demonstration as cover for the crime and his escape. Carrillo and a second man, Robert Justus, have been charged in connection with another shooting two weeks later in Ben Lomond that killed a Santa Cruz County sheriff’s sergeant. Authorities say they wanted to start another civil war.

So, yes, let’s keep it in perspective. Some members of the far right want to “take back our country” by any means. Let’s not confuse Jan. 6 rioters with people wanting our government to provide equal protection for all.

Not all conservatives are trying to overthrow the government, but it seems the majority want to compare Black Lives Matter protests with the Jan. 6 insurrection. Everyone needs to denounce the movement to thwart our election, not try to justify it.

TOM ROSE

Petaluma

Mike Pence, unsung hero

EDITOR: Mike Pence was Donald Trump’s last hope to cling to power. All the legal challenges had failed. Trump and his lawyers tried to convince the vice president that he had the constitutional authority to prevent the certification of electoral votes due to alleged voter fraud. Pence was under tremendous pressure from the president’s camp not to certify the election and to instead throw it back to the states.

Critics say Pence just did his job by certifying the votes. Sure, but if he had gone along with the president and failed to do his job, this country would have been thrown into a constitutional crisis, causing irreparable harm to our democracy.

Pence could not have been a more loyal vice president. As his reward, he was thrown under the bus by Trump, who demands loyalty but gives none in return. Contrast this to the character of Pence who refused to be evacuated from the Capitol as Trump loyalists stormed the building shouting, “Hang Mike Pence.” Pence did not leave the Capitol until Joe Biden was certified the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Thanks to Pence, for finally stepping up.

KURT DUNPHY

Santa Rosa

GOP and rioters

EDITOR: Your article about Evan Neumann described a radical and apparently violent person who participated in the attempt to overturn our legitimate election (“Indictment alleges man’s role in riot,” Dec. 14). Currently in Belarus, Neumann has taken to insulting the United States in the service of the Belarusian dictatorship.

I think it is important to point out that Neumann and others of his ilk who participated in the attack on the Capitol are considered “patriots” by Donald Trump and luminaries of the Republican Party, i.e. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert.

Many others in the GOP have chosen to ignore the attempted coup or are busy revising the history of the treasonous events that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. In too many ways, Neumann’s unfortunate descent mirrors the current trajectory of the Republican Party.

BRIAN GEAGAN

Healdsburg

Feeling less liberal

EDITOR: I have been a liberal all my life, but it’s getting harder. Aside from political correctness, like censoring comedians and speakers at colleges, there is off-putting language such as “defund the police” and “women, or those who give birth.”

Then, there are real, ongoing problems of unintended consequences. Stealing or fencing stolen goods totaling $950 or less is a misdemeanor, which is basically a slap on the wrist. Now smash-and-grab theft and catalytic converter theft are commonplace. With no real penalty, it will continue to be so.

You reported that suspected drug dealers who had 33 pounds of methamphetamine and 3,000 fentanyl pills, as well as guns, were released with no bail (“Warrants issued for 2 in seizure of drugs, guns,” Dec. 23). Police allow sideshows to happen and usually don’t arrest anybody. On the Fourth of July, there were illegal fireworks all night long with few consequences. Homeless encampments are allowed to exist for months before they are cleaned up.

If people don’t feel safe and lose faith that their government will respond to their concerns, they often turn to soomeone they believe is a law-and-order strongman. We can either address these problems head on or wait for the coming right-wing dictatorship.

PETER TRACY

Santa Rosa

You can send letters to the editor to letters@pressdemocrat.com.