Supreme Court
Re “Affirmative action ends for colleges” (June 30): For those of us who are U.S. Supreme Court watchers, there were a couple of glimmers of hope that perhaps voting rights might not be a lost cause after a couple of recent decisions against those states that aggressively have tried to curtail a citizen’s right to vote.
However, with the decision to permit someone to discriminate against a protected group in our nation, my hopes have been dashed. The Supreme Court has said it is legal to discriminate in our nation. Read that again. All of the seated justices vowed that settled law meant just that — over and done with, during their confirmation hearings.
But wait. Not so fast. One year ago, Roe v. Wade was overturned. Now, affirmative action associated with admission policies for college and universities has fallen. The rights of LGBTQ Americans are once again in a precarious position. It appears that the Supreme Court, with the assistance of three judges appointed by the twice-impeached, twice-indicted (with more possibly to come), malignant narcissist former president, is doing the bidding of white Christian nationalists and the Federalist Society.
Our democracy is being rushed into the dustbin of history, as the Supreme Court takes away our rights, as opposed to ruling to protect all of us. Justice is not just blind. It is willfully and defiantly tone-deaf.
Ginny Diezel, Virginia Beach
Air pollution
Re “Climate change makes wildfires, smoke worse” (July 2): Every day we are constantly preached to about air pollution, and yet in Chicago they have added a NASCAR race to their city. Not only is Chicago dealing with smoke from the Canadian fires, but it allowed this race to pollute the air even further.
What is wrong with human beings?
Diane Aldridge, Hampton
Extreme conservatism
Re “The founders knew the value of a free press in a democratic republic” (Our Views, June 29): The editorial regarding the importance of journalists and the value of a free press has never been more timely. Journalism is a noble profession. Investigative journalists serve the cause of truth and transparency in a society that is committed to democratic ideals. Sadly, the Fourth Estate has been under attack by conservative extremists who find the media’s search for facts an operational inconvenience.
The former president, who took his cues from other autocrats, began to promote the normalization of contempt for a free press. He criticized anyone who opposed him and began calling unflattering stories about him “fake news.” Further, he called the media “the enemy of the American people,” another unseemly line taken from the totalitarian playbook.
When the former president oddly hugged the American flag at one of his rallies, the press was there to report it. When he alluded to possibly becoming president for life, the free press was also there to report it. And, when he sent his paramilitary supporters to march on the Capitol building Jan. 6, 2021, the press, thankfully, was there to cover that event for all of us to see.
The press isn’t perfect. It doesn’t always get it right, but it does good work on behalf of all true Americans who still seek the truth over prejudice, misinformation and foolish conspiracy theories that are propagated by the shadowy and disingenuous forces of extreme conservatism — the scourge of politics in America.
Larry Hollowell, Norfolk
Brainwashed
Re “Trump’s plot” and “Poor resume” (Your Views, July 3): My full compliments to both letter writers for being spot on about former President Donald Trump’s unfitness for office. It is just very unfortunate for us that such a tremendously large percentage of Republicans are totally brainwashed by this man.
Warren G. Anthony, Portsmouth
