Friday's letters: Mental health support, individual rights, first telegraph, more
Provide support for young people in crisis
Carrie Seidman’s piece May 22, “Focusing on mental health is key to preventing more tragedies,” is thoughtful and right on the mark.
All too often, the knee-jerk reaction to tragedies such as shootings, youth suicide, etc., is a call for a firearms ban when, in fact, the root cause is a failure to prevent, or recognize and treat, mental health issues.
According to the U.S. surgeon general’s December 2021 report, we have a youth mental health crisis that started even before the pandemic. There has never been a greater need for mental health support, especially for young people.
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There is also a misperception that social and emotional learning is some kind of indoctrination or offshoot of critical race theory, when the truth is, SEL has decades of research showing that it promotes children’s academic success, pro-social behavior, problem-solving abilities, health and well-being.
It teaches children essential life skills to manage their emotions, have healthy relationships and cope with life’s challenges and adversities.
Marlene Kurban, Sarasota
Explain how Biden ‘bungled’ economy
Unfortunately, in many columns, authors are quick to blame an administration or leaders for current economic or international problems without specifics as to how decisions led to the current situation.
Such is the case with Tim Swarens’ column titled “From Trump to worse: Biden has bungled leading America’s economy,” May 23.
As I read, I asked myself what decisions were made that led to the “bungling.” A lot of market details were given as examples, but no concrete decisions that led to those results.
In my career, I learned that to approach someone complaining, without reasons why and possible solutions, led to them looking at me as just a complainer. That is my feeling about the author after reading many columns today.
I encourage your editors to look at each column written, no matter which side is being presented, to ensure specific examples are given to prove the author’s point of view.
If there are no specifics, return it and encourage the author to rewrite it and include examples. If he or she cannot, then the column should not be published; it is nothing but complaining.
Marshall Ruetz, Venice
State could start making your decisions
Many people might think, “I can’t get pregnant, so I don’t need abortion rights.”
What the Supremes appear likely to do is strip individuals of their right to make their own decisions and hand those decisions to the state.
Maybe you had a bad car crash or massive heart attack. Unfortunately, you are now in an irreversible vegetative state.
Thankfully, you have a DNR (Do Not Resuscitate). You won’t become a money machine for the hospital and doctors. When you signed the DNR, you felt good that your loved ones wouldn’t be left destitute.
Except with no right to privacy, the state may be able to rescind DNRs and make those decisions for you.
I suggest you look up the Terri Schiavo case here in the early 2000s. A Catholic governor, Jeb Bush, interceded to prevent Schiavo’s husband from taking his brain-dead wife off life support. Catholic end-of-life beliefs are very different from mine, maybe yours.
But the state could decide that for you. Trust me that there are any number of decisions that the state could steal from you, and you would never get them back.
Peter S. Cohoon, Bradenton
The decline of communications
As noted in the newspaper, May 24 marked the 178th anniversary of the first transmission in America from the quintessential communication device, the telegraph line. “What hath God wrought” was the first message Samuel F.B. Morse transmitted.
Today, we have Facebook, which has caused much bullying and shaming of adolescents.
We have the internet spreading a huge amount of false information about COVID and vaccinations in the middle of a pandemic.
And we have Twitter, where people spread political lies, racism and hatred toward others.
Yes, Mr. Morse, “What hath God wrought,” indeed.
Larry Beck, Osprey
Employees should become owners
“Why at-will employment matters to you,” your May 24 guest column, explained the different types of employment. This would be another type for small companies.
Have employees get a bank loan and buy 49% of the company. As owners they would have board members and a say in setting wages and other benefits. In addition, there would be no strikes, job security and quality products.
Owners don’t like returns because of poor workmanship. Nor do owners goof off.
The bank would have a perfect risk-free loan. The loan payments would be deducted and paid the same as union dues are now. It also would help the taxpayer because it would eliminate unemployment payments.
Larry J. Tracy, Sarasota
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: We need mental health support, especially for young people
