Letters: Some questions for our public officials

Letters to the Editor
·2 min read

If you cannot answer these questions, then maybe you should not be voting, running for public office, or running a newspaper:

1. What is meant by “the pursuit of happiness” as expressed by our Founding Fathers?

2. What is the difference between a “right” and a “privilege?"

3. Were you ever officially questioned as to your fidelity to the Constitution and given opportunity to demonstrate how you have advocated the principles espoused therein?

4. What is the difference between being a citizen of the United States and a citizen of the world?

5. If you were to revoke your citizenship in the United States, what would change about your life and being?

6. Do you believe efforts to “defund the police” are aimed toward domestic tranquility and would enhance the same?

7. What measures would you propose to keep enemies of the Constitution from being eligible for public office?

8. What measures would you propose to enhance the common citizen’s ability to verify that his vote is accurately counted as cast?

My elected officials will be, and are, hearing these questions from me. I will be collecting and publishing their responses next spring. Can you believe I already hear crickets in my future?

David Seyboldt

South Bend

Why risk it?

Why is it that 30- to 50-year-olds in our community are refusing to get vaccinated against COVID? The parents who raised them are begging them to get the vaccine. The doctors who care for them are pleading for them to get it also.

These people have received all their childhood vaccinations. Smallpox, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. The COVID vaccination has been proven to be safe and very effective in preventing the serious side effects of COVID infection. Why would anyone risk the long-term complications from COVID infection of chronic fatigue, chronic headaches, breathing difficulties or chronic confusion? Why would anyone risk being hospitalized for weeks battling COVID pneumonia!

Texas, Louisiana and Florida had a large uptake in COVID cases and hospitalizations during July and August. Despite what you heard was the reason (migrants crossing the border, etc.), the real reason is that July and August are the indoor season in that portion of our country. We are now entering our indoor season and we are starting to see an uptake in cases and hospitalizations. Please listen to your doctors, please listen to your parents. Get vaccinated!

Dr. Richard Wein

South Bend

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Voters, citizens, elected officials have responsibilities