Crude is rude; Trump's home raided, but what about Hunter Biden?: Letters, Aug. 17, 2022

Can’t we disagree without being crude, rude and disrespectful?

What has happened to civility? To common courtesy? When did it become okay to display crude, and disrespectful language on signs by our homes, bumper stickers on our cars and on the clothing we wear?

I may not agree with your politics, the positions you take or the life choices you make and you may not agree with mine, but isn't it possible to disagree without being in-your-face rude and offensive? Aren't there more constructive ways to show your displeasure, express and explain your positions? How about sending a positive message to those around you, rather than a negative one? How about trying to foster an atmosphere, perhaps, where there is room for a dialogue, some discussion, rather than create animosity and ill will? No wonder people of all persuasions are angry and feel alienated.

Personally, I am repulsed by a lot of what supposedly educated, intelligent people choose to display for all the world to see, including young impressionable children. What lessons are we teaching? People are worried about the books children are exposed to. Well, what about all the crudeness and rudeness they see around them, staring them in the face from the back of the car in front of them?

It's time for it to stop. It's time to get back to civility. Pretty please?

Julie Eisdorfer, Vero Beach 

How will rest of world view use of FBI against a former U.S. president?

All good citizens should be outraged that President Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland approved, if not instigated, the FBI’s raid on the Mar-a-Lago residence of former President Donald Trump to acquire more than a dozen boxes of “allegedly” classified documents.

Anonymous sources suggest that the FBI was seeking classified documents that should be preserved in the nation’s National Achieves.

Having covered U.S, presidents, Congress and regulatory departments in Washington, D.C., as a reporter/ editor for 20 years, my assumption is that the House of Representative’s Jan. 6 hearings have resulted in few facts that could be used in a court of law trial to prove that then-President Trump instigated or encouraged the break-in by Trump supporters of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. So far it appears the hearings have provided hearsay information about the role of President Trump and his relationship with the Capitol rioters. Hearsay cannot be used in a court trial. A court of law requires creditable witnesses or facts of illegal activity, not just someone who heard that some illegality took place.

President Vladimir Putin’s political rival Alexei Navalny is serving 24 years in a Russian prison.

We Americans are only useful as leaders of the free world when we act lawfully and uprightly. How do you think the rest of the world views this unprecedented use of the FBI against a former president of the United States? Putin is probably laughing at us. Chairman Xi Jinping is probably telling his fellow members of the Chinese politburo how hypocritical the United States politicians are when they accuse him of acting illegally toward Chinese in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Stanford Erickson, Vero Beach.

The Founding Fathers were thought to be enlightened for their times

We hear much about the original intent of our Founding Fathers. Let’s take a critical look at the intentions of these mostly young men as they proceeded to try making a more perfect union. To make this union so much better than having a dictating king.

In their time slavery was acceptable, women did not appear intelligent enough to vote and white men who were not landowners could not be trusted to vote. The poor were thought to be ignorant. There was no problem with child labor and immigration was a good thing. Africans were kidnapped and forced to come to our new land which Europeans had stolen from the original Native Americans.

The Founding Fathers were thought to be enlightened, progressive and exceptional for their times in so many ways. These men knew that these original documents were not perfect, as evidenced by the several added amendments they made by 1791 and thereafter.

What was the intent of having a well regulated militia and also the right to bear arms? At this time a single-shot, muzzle-loading cannon was the artillery pieces of this era. In modern times these weapons are rapid-reloading and have a range of many miles and include anti-aircraft weapons and others.

As for that single-shot, muzzle-loading rifle, we now have weapons rapid-firing multiple high-velocity rounds that can blow off the face of a child, as we saw recently happen in Texas. Mental illness is only one contributing factor. Think about the profits being made by the manufacturers of these weapons, which is the bigger that factor needed to be resolved.

Also consider the many politicians who are more concerned about campaign contributions and being re-elected than they are about their constituents.

Charles Davis, Stuart

Griner made her choice and we should not negotiate her release

That Brittney Griner chose to play basketball in Russia for millions of dollars and does not seem to me to believe in the freedoms that we have in the United States means that our government should not negotiate for her release. Especially it should not exchange her for a well-known arms dealer whose work has cost many people their lives.

Her refusal to embrace the national anthem shows you her true feelings for life in a democracy. While it is her right, as with all Americans, to have the ability to protest, there are some lines that should never be crossed. Too many people have died defending her rights and the flag we believe in.

After her arrest, she apologized to her teammates, her club, her fans, and the city of Yekaterinburg for the embarrassment she caused. How about an apology to the American people? She should serve her sentence, and go back to playing for her Russian team and living the socialist dream. For nine years she can enjoy peace and quiet and not have to listen to that terrible national anthem anymore. Perhaps then she will appreciate the value of American patriotism.

Charlie Hayek, Fort Pierce

Law enforcement seem selective: What about Clinton and the Bidens?

I am really having a problem understanding what’s going on. It appears that the community charged with implementing the law seems to be after ex-President Trump at every turn. Yet Hillary Clinton, Hunter Biden and President Biden all get a free pass. I am having a problem understanding this. It does appear that the law-enforcement community gets to pick and choose whom to go after.

Norbie Lavigne, Vero Beach

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Crude is rude; why do Bidens get a pass?: Letters, Aug. 17, 2022