Armed protests
I wonder what would have happened if the Students for a Democratic Society or the Black Panther Party exercised their constitutionally protected Second Amendment rights in a protest for opening up this country to jobs and equal treatment, at any statehouse in this country.
Alan Jordan
Stillwater
Do not be dissuaded
Wuhan, China, and others are now feared to have a second spike in coronavirus infections and deaths, requiring them to institute more draconian measures. This is the result of allowing large social interactions when the virus, which originated in Wuhan, is still within the population and likely will be forever. There cannot be and will not be a situation where we go back to the way it was. This virus, upcoming viruses and global military and socioeconomic problems will not allow it.
I have warned our leaders multiple times going back many years that the global military, economic regime we had foolishly developed over the past 40 years was not sustainable and would lead to our demise. I tried to get them to stop their political bickering and listen to logic, good science and pay attention to the signs and the reality of the situation that it was not just the coronavirus. They foolishly refused to listen.
When Sen. Tom Cotton tried to get their attention about this danger back in January, they not only refused but totally ignored him. Warning signs were abundantly apparent but they were self blinded by corrupt political bickering. Now here we are in a health and economic disaster.
Gov. Janet Mills is now responsible for the safety of Maine’s residents and its course going forward. She was forced into this situation and has done an excellent job to this point. Please understand that selfish forces inside and outside of Maine will try to dissuade our state leaders from following that course. Do not be dissuaded.
Lawrence Everett
West Paris
Here’s the beef
The BDN article about Maine’s meat processing plants suggests it is time for a new paradigm for our food supply and many other items we use. Instead of “economies of scale,” substitute “reliability of local.” Instead of “centralized and high volume,” substitute “decentralized and community based.”
Years ago, when we sold beef, the owner of a local meat processing business said that Maine could supply all of its own meat.
Jo Ann Myers
Waldoboro
We want government to have our back
I am writing this letter in support of Sara Gideon for U.S. Senate. Keeping people healthy is much better than treating them once they are ill. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown me that our federal government has failed us.
The purpose of government is to protect the safety and welfare of its people. The failure of this Republican administration to support medical research, including proposed budget cuts to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has led to a delay in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot have Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and his supporters like Sen. Susan Collins continue dismantling our health insurance system without providing a better solution.
Many Mainers are self-employed or in small businesses that require health care coverage that works for them. I have watched Gov. Janet Mills, Senate President Troy Jackson and House Speaker Gideon work together to expand MaineCare and now help get financial assistance to the people of Maine who are out of work with COVID-19.
Gideon seems to understand that the role of government is to protect its people, and has demonstrated this recently in pushing for appropriate protection for the workers at Bath Iron Works. As health care workers, we want to protect our community, and we want our government to have our back.
Peter Arabadjis, MD
Orono