Letters: Gov. DeSantis is just politicizing COVID vaccines, not protecting public health

As a senior citizen, I read with alarm the headline the Associated Press story in the Metro section of the Times-Union on Sept. 8 titled “DeSantis decries new COVID-19 restrictions.” I greatly appreciate our national Center for Disease Control recently informing and recommending to the public — especially seniors — to avail themselves of the vaccines available this fall.

These include an annual COVID-19 injection targeting the most recent COVID variant, as well as vaccinations for RSV and the flu.

This is a public health issue, not a political freedom issue. As this article reported, Gov. Ron DeSantis is once again challenging established medical science in urging Floridians to “fight back against every bogus attempt the Left makes to expand government control when it comes to COVID-19 precautions.”

It is clear to me that he is pandering to his supporters by politicizing this issue, which is contrary to the interests of all Floridians — regardless of their political persuasion. Viruses, on the other hand, know no political boundaries and are equal-opportunity invaders.

I will gladly wear a mask while encouraging my children and grandchildren to wear masks, as well as continue to be vaccinated if that helps avoid the spread of this and other viruses. Stopping the spread avoids business or school closings and is in the true interest of freedom, as well as public health.

I heartily agree with the concern expressed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC in March via a public letter to Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo that, “It is the job of public health officials around the country to protect the lives of the populations they serve, particularly the vulnerable. Fueling vaccine hesitancy undermines this effort."

Floridians of all ages: Please heed the advice from our federal health agencies, who follow science in the interest of all citizens. The burden of lives lost unnecessarily — due to promoting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and political rhetoric — falls on those who espouse these contrary unscientific views.

Carolyn Zisser, Esq., Atlantic Beach

All gun violence must stop

I’m having a difficult time trying to articulate my thoughts without being insensitive, but I’m wondering about the recent shooting deaths and why some get more attention than others.

Some bring national figures to Jacksonville to protest and bring attention to these tragic issues. But is it agenda-driven? Does perception become reality to some?

The recent murders of three Black innocents by a racist, deranged individual has been replayed countless times due to the nature of this heinous act. That’s understandable.

Yet, a young child was shot in the head recently and later died. Another was a young girl shot in the throat after bullets riddled her home. Shootings at football games. A young boy killed coming home from football practice. The list goes on.

All outrageous, yet there is silence from Al Sharpton and Ben Crump on those actions. Would they have come here to denounce those actions, or is the point not on who was killed but who did it? Are these the ones who would criticize someone else’s kids for bad behavior but ignore their own for similar behavior?

Tragedy is tragedy and I support the fight to end gun violence for all. But if these individuals and our media seem to emphasize one tragedy over another, it leads to questions and possibly further division.

Racism exists, and acts of crime due to any prejudicial belief are especially vile. But let’s focus on all crimes. They have the same result in that people lose innocent loved ones. If individuals or groups pick and choose what to be outraged about, then many who would usually be sympathetic and supportive start to question motives and wonder about double standards. Support dwindles.

Whether it’s a racist act or gangs shooting up neighborhoods, let’s all agree — it must stop. The blame game isn’t working any more than the thoughts and prayers. It starts at home. MAD DADS have the right idea.

Gary Schuran, Middleburg

Election rules must be followed

The Florida Times-Union cover story on Sept. 10 raises issues about Donald Trump’s possible ineligibility to be on the presidential ballot in 2024, under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Many people say that if someone is very popular, then they should be allowed to vote for that person. Yet, many popular people in the past have been prevented from being on the U.S. presidential ballot.

For example, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger probably would have been elected president had he been allowed to be on the ballot. But he was disqualified because he was not “a natural-born U.S. citizen.”

Another example is Ronald Reagan, who might have been re-elected a third time, but he was disqualified from running again because our Constitution says you cannot be president for three terms.

There is also the rule that one has to be at least 35 to be on the presidential ballot. This clause prevents many people currently in the House of Representatives from running for president.

Even if a presidential candidate wins the majority of the popular vote, they can still be disqualified from office if they do not win a majority of Electoral College votes.

As the article pointed out, law professors William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen, both members of the conservative Federalist Society, wrote a detailed 126-page report explaining why the 14th Amendment applies to Trump.

Many voters whose candidate won the popular vote were extremely angry when the Electoral College allowed a minority of voters to choose the U.S. President in 2016 and in 2000. Now many Trump supporters may not like the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but those are the rules.

David King Keller, Ph.D., Jacksonville

An appeal to stay positive

Like a steadily increasing front of storm clouds, the conflict of political extremists continues to ratchet up. We’ve seen this play before, and its actors are familiar to us. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump faces 91 felony counts. So, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced on Sept. 12 that the Republican-led House will begin an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.

This, in spite of the fact that no evidence of criminal conduct has been presented. Hunter Biden has never even been a government employee.

Violent conflict may indeed be one possible outcome of the caustic diatribes the extremists trade back and forth. There are other, better ones. We need to keep appealing to the "better angels of our nature" — to borrow a phrase from Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural address.

I heard Jacksonville citizens talk to Mayor Donna Deegan on Sept. 6 at her Community Conversation for District 7. We elected her as someone to lead us through these tough times. While it may be difficult to abstain from lashing out at partisan attacks made for political gain, let us not go down that road. Instead, let us commit ourselves to the cause of democracy, freedom and equality.

Theodore Hornoi-Centerwall, Jacksonville

Maintain security grant funding

I have appreciated the coverage of the shooting motivated by anti-Black racism in Jacksonville recently. Prior to entering the Dollar General, the shooter attempted to access Edwards Waters University.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities have unfortunately become targets for anti-Black extremists. Many now utilize federal grant assistance to combat rising extremism and security challenges.

This tragic act of extremism, in which three local lives were lost, only further demonstrates the need for increased funding of Nonprofit Security Grants. As violent incidents and hatred skyrocket across America, institutions face new and challenging threats to the safety and well-being of our students.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is proposing to decrease the already limited funding from $305 million to $286.7 million. While the House of Representatives is proposing an increase in funding to $315 million, it's especially disheartening to see the Senate fail to even maintain the status quo. As it stands, only 42% of applicants received funding, so these cuts would be devastating.

I implore Sens, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott — please support fully funding Nonprofit Security Grants at $360 million and oppose any cuts. Our communities use this funding to keep HBCUs and other institutions safe from violent extremism.

Jen Sandler-Steinshouer, Ponte Vedra Beach

Contradictions of COVID vs. Idalia

At the height of the pandemic, hundreds of Floridians were dying from COVID-19 every day. Despite the incredible death toll, there was much gnashing of teeth over the loosely enforced restrictions imposed by the people in charge of minimizing the carnage. Conversely a total of four people died during Hurricane Idalia and there wasn’t so much as a peep from anyone over the far more onerous orders to evacuate.

What sort of conclusion can be drawn from this bizarre contradiction?

Are deaths from preventable diseases infinitely less significant than death by drowning? Is being asked to wear a mask while you shop for groceries a more terrible fate than being told to leave everything you own behind for an indefinite period? Is objecting to statistical realities regarding mortality somehow virtuous?

What explains this cognitive disconnection? When an individual engages in such irrational thinking, it can be explained away any number of ways; when a large portion of society engages in it, what do you call it — and how do you cure it?

Eric M. Mongar Sr., Jacksonville 

Lawmakers need term (and age) limits

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze (at least twice) while speaking with reporters. Sen. Dianne Feinstein was absent from Congress for several months and when she came back she was so disoriented during a vote that she had to have someone tell her to "just say aye." Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants another term and President Joe Biden is no spring chicken.

They have all been in office for far too long.

The Constitution should be amended to give senators and representatives four-year terms, with a limit of serving four terms, while presidents get a maximum of two six-year terms in office. Plus, the age limit to run for these offices should be set at 60 to 65.

Deborah Cearnal, Orange Park

City has odd rules for appointments

Does anyone else think it strange that Al Ferraro was technically unqualified to lead the Neighborhoods Department, yet was perfectly qualified to run for mayor?

I have always assumed that the position of mayor was a tad bit higher than any department director in city government.

If I understand this correctly, a guy who built a successful landscaping company from scratch, who created and adheres to a budget, who oversees employees, maintains a schedule and keeps his customers happy apparently can’t do these same things as Neighborhoods director without getting a college degree first.

I think the council should have waived this outdated requirement and let a proven, local, experienced individual do the job.

Chris Mead, Jacksonville

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: DeSantis' actions on COVID contrary to interests of all Floridians