Letters to the Editor for April 30
Culture war buzzwords no lesson plan for schools
I am writing in response to Cameron Eoff’s editorial on education (April 23). I appreciate Mr. Eoff of Nixa's concern for Springfield's students, especially those "facing lower socieconomic conditions."
I am curious to learn more about what he means by "nonsense," "therapeutic endeavors," "victim culture," and "virtue signaling" — these strike me as the buzzwords that circulate among culture warriors whose views of education are based in ideology rather than practice and experience. Mr. Eoff, for example, claims that "there are people who categorize everyone as an irredeemable victim or victimizer." Mr. Eoff is far from the first to make this enormous leap when confronted with substantiated claims of systemic racism.
Mr. Eoff also advocates for "zero-tolerance" discipline, a proven policy failure all over the country. In practice, "zero tolerance" results in "disproportionate numbers of kids of color suspended, expelled, and referred to law enforcement." (See https://www.apmreports.org/episode/2016/08/25/reforming-school-discipline). In practice, zero-tolerance formalizes the school-to-prison pipeline as Black kids get expelled for carrying nail clippers and get funneled into the criminal justice system, intensifying the socioeconomic inequities Mr. Eoff purports to care about, and making conditions more difficult for our teachers.
If I am a “virtue signaling wannabe elite” for opposing policies that perpetuate racial inequity in my community of Springfield, I welcome those labels. I am proud to stand with the plurality of Springfield voters who rejected the failed ideological vision and tortured logic of evidence-free culture warriors in the last school board election.
Jonathan Newman, Springfield
Gun Crisis Compromise
We are all horrified at the mass shootings. In the April 16 editorial, Beasley commented about the gun crisis/fentanyl crisis. Let’s just call a spade a spade. When she speaks about “gun safety” she really means “gun bans.”
I agree we need tighter gun sales restrictions. “Straw man” purchases of weapons going to Mexico especially needs to be addressed.
Concerning semi-automatic weapons, Beasley said “Polls don’t lie, 2/3 of all Americans want a ban on all semi-automatic weapons.” First off, we know that not all Americans were polled. Polls are simply samplings. Secondly, semi-automatic weapons constitute almost 50% of all guns sold, even more so with handguns. In this country a ban on all semi-automatic guns WILL NOT HAPPEN.
What is the crux of the problem? Is it the AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle? I say the problem lies rather with the high capacity magazines in weapons. Outlaw the high capacity clips! Who but a bad guy needs 20, 36, or 100 bullets before he is out of ammo in that magazine? (For the record, I do not personally own the AR-15-style rifle.) Fourteen states have already banned gun magazines holding more than 10 bullets.
Proponents of high-capacity magazines argue that the mass shooter can eject and slap in another 10 or 15 round clip in about two seconds, anyway. You know what? If I find myself crouched under a table, or behind the chips aisle in a grocery … I’ll gladly take that two seconds. It gives me a chance to raise up and return fire on the mass shooter.
Other precautions need to be taken against the terrorist, or suicide, or racist “whackos.” For the schools, arming all teachers is not feasible. It would be better to have a resource officer at every location. Maybe every school should always be on lockdown with outside doors and ground level windows to have bars. Not foolproof, but it would take the shooter more time and racket to break into the school.
Critics of school barred doors and windows would say, “Think of the expense to that solution!” Instead, they would rather ban all guns. I guess it’s a matter of “whose ox is being gored?”
James Clegg, Rogersville
GOP keeps hacking away at democracy
Artificial intelligence is when you pretend to be smarter than you are. Marjorie Taylor-Greene remembers things whether they happened or not. Republicans attack truth because it is detrimental to their agenda.
Mass shooters are also motivated by notoriety and lust for power. The GOP claims respect for life by abortion bans; yet they condone the slaughter of innocents by blocking gun control. The inconvenient truth here is NRA money and GOP egos are more important than human lives?
Republicans sent Christmas cards showing their children holding AR-15s — (Rep. Andy) Ogles in Nashville. Joy to the world?
The Tennessee legislature ousted two Democrats for joining a protest demanding gun control. This blatant abuse of power has served only to focus nationwide attention on gun control and the foolish legislature. Oh, shoot! Misfire.
The GOP is enabling corporate exploitation of immigrant children without parents. Sponsors without proper oversight are charging them for food and housing — forcing them to work long hours. Human trafficking?
Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders immediately took action — signing a bill removing Arkansas child labor protections. Quid pro quo — something for something? Oligarchs are demanding corporate tax cuts, less regulation and victimized labor. Money over people. Sarah for president? Artificial intelligence.
Two major contributors to weakening democracy are the Electoral College — allowing the minority party to bushwhack elections; and Citizens United — SCOTUS' gift to billionaires — allowing them to buy government favoring the 1% through tax-exempt PACs.
Hillary Clinton beat Donald Trump by 3 million popular votes. Majority rules in democracy. No Electoral College — no Trump — no coup attempt on Jan. 6. Democracy is in their crosshairs because the GOP does not represent the majority. Missouri's deceptive HJR 43 is a radical proposal to end majority rule in ballot initiatives, rendering them useless. Heads up. Elect Democrats. Save democracy.
Jan Lancaster, Springfield
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Letters to the Editor for April 30
