Our Readers Write

Indivisible or Divisive?

A town hall meeting like the one that was scheduled to take place Saturday, March 11, at the Mainstage theater, is a forum where questions can be asked of our congressional representative, Duncan D. Hunter. It should be a chance for each of us to ask our questions and hear the congressman’s answers.

I agree with Ms. Conrad that it is “an opportunity to showcase democracy.” Unfortunately, across the country, town hall meetings have been chaotic events, no more than shouting matches. When this happens, nobody learns anything.

What must be remembered is that exercising free speech means that each of us must be given a chance to share our opinions and ask our questions, but so should the congressman be allowed to answer without interruption. By the time this letter is read, we’ll know if the members of Indivisible are interested in free speech for all — or not.

Tom McKelvey

Ramona

Country needs strong EPA

Richard Nixon pioneered the Environmental Protection Agency to protect you and everyone else. Disasters routinely cross state and national borders, which is why we need a federal agency. Here in San Diego County, we are as close as the crow flies or nuclear particles move, to San Onofre’s nuclear waste, to military nuclear arsenals, and to other nuclear applications including medical.

A strong EPA is critical because: “The EPA prepares for, and responds to, emergencies involving radioactive materials. EPA’s Radiological Emergency Response Team (RERT) works with federal, state and local agencies to monitor radioactivity and clean up affected areas. During an emergency, EPA uses its protective action guidelines to help determine what actions are necessary to protect people from unhealthy levels of radiation.”

Often, a 50-mile radius adjacent to a moderate nuclear accident experiences water, animal, and crop contamination. Horses, wineries, wells, gardens, farms, nature, and outdoor play all express the hallmarks of our chosen rural Ramonan lifestyle, and all would suffer.

The EPA has and would continue to protect you, our soldiers, our country, but there is talk and action of dismantling and weakening the EPA. Please contact your representatives at all levels. Urge them to protect us and fund a stronger EPA because:

• If there is an increase in nuclear proliferation, San Diego’s risk increases substantially for nuclear accidents and attacks -- especially without an EPA. Soldiers and first responders bear the highest immediate risk, and then pregnant women, children, and other women are the most sensitive to lower levels of chronic radiation exposure creating cancer.
• Soldiers should have someone watching their families’ back and moving them to safety. What would such an evacuation and permanent relocation look like, especially without structure or guidelines from the EPA? Think Highway 67, and fires, and think of driving away leaving your family behind to help someone else’s. Money for border patrol; got to be money for nuclear war and other incidents.

Janine Moniot

Ramona

Commentary presents rational arguments

I would like to thank you for both Guest Commentary columns in last week’s paper, but especially for the one by Peter Quercia.

It is refreshing in today’s atmosphere to read a piece that is not rabid or ranting, but gives rational arguments for the author’s point of view without even mentioning the author’s political partisanship.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with Mr. Quercia’s opinions that Mr. Trump is out of touch with reality (obvious since the start of his campaign) and needs to be replaced.

Thank you for publishing this very well-written piece.

Rosemary Roberts

Ramona