Letters to the Editor: Help Ukraine. Stop complaining about higher gas prices

To the editor: The world is rightfully outraged by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war, but every night the secondary story throughout the media is the rise in gas prices. The Biden administration and those who support the policies to keep a lid on oil prices are literally trading dollars at the pump for human lives. (“Stop financing Putin’s war machine. Cut off Russia’s oil and gas sales,” Opinion, March 7)

Yeah, I know it hurts to pay more for gasoline. But I am disgusted that we are using consumer prices as the deciding factor in whether to continue to purchase oil from Russia.

If you really want to help the people of Ukraine, stop complaining about gas prices.

Ron Mossler, Redondo Beach

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To the editor: Why wasn’t a ban on Russian oil and gas imports imposed after the invasion of the country of Georgia in 2008 or Crimea in 2014? American capitalists don’t care who their trading partners are as long as profits are optimized and security is guaranteed.

When public opinion is mobilized against undemocratic governments as with South Africa, decision-making changes course. I understand that even without a ban on Russian oil imports, U.S. oil companies are cancelling orders with Russia.

My other question is if energy is a national security issue, why don’t we nationalize the energy companies? If that is too drastic, why not limit trade of essential goods and services to those countries that share our democratic values?

June Thompson, Los Angeles

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To the editor: As the U.S. releases 60 million barrels of the strategic petroleum reserve, I’m taken back to a cardigan-clad President Jimmy Carter exhorting us to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

Having lost confidence in our hollow national declarations to do so, I reduced my personal dependence on the commodity that is all too often monopolized by despots and tyrants by putting solar panels on my roof, buying two electric cars and bicycling virtually everywhere.

Let’s take President Biden up on his plan to decarbonize and decouple our energy economy from megalomaniacs like Putin once and for all. Take my word for it — it feels great.

Jordan Sollitto, San Marino