States’ new voting restrictions: Letters to the editor, April 9, 2021

Shallow GOP voting view on display

Some Republicans must be so happy with the wave of voter suppression laws sweeping our country at the state level. Some even believe that if you earn more money, you should get extra votes. Others believe if a worker can’t get the time to vote because of working conditions, then tough luck. It goes on and on.

All my life I have heard about voter apathy. Now that there is renewed interest in participation by “the masses,” many Republicans apparently are upset and want to get back to that long-held feeling of indifference. At least they are open about their thinking, so heart and mind are in full view. 

Fresno Unified reopening plans

This letter is in response to a recent letter by a parent of a student who attends a Fresno Unified School District school. In his letter, the parent expressed his opinions on why the school district should have reopened schools already, as well as his frustration over dealing with his anxious 7-year-old son who is suffering negative effects due to at home distance learning. Other points the parent makes are that several other nearby school districts have already reopened, and that distance learning has taken a negative toll on so many students who attend Fresno Unified schools.

I personally am both an employee and parent within Fresno Unified schools and I disagree with this parent’s statements. As a parent, I want to know that my children will be kept safe from COVID when they return to school, and if that means waiting for the district to sanitize all school buildings, install proper ventilation, and enforce the appropriate measures recommended by the CDC, then I’m content with waiting.

Lastly, Fresno Unified is the third-largest school district in California, making the task of reopening schools much harder than other districts.

Is the GOP pledge missing words?

I’m just wondering if the legislators who proposed 253 restrictive voting-rights laws leave out the words when they salute the flag, like: pledge, allegiance, united, republic, one, nation, under, God, liberty, justice and all.

Tax credit for COVID best practices

The COVID vaccination should be incentivized by allowing a tax credit for liability insurance for those businesses that are proactive in their steps of reducing illness in the workplace, including requiring their employees (or students) to have their vaccination before returning.

Unfortunately, many workers are exposed to the risk of illness due to employers requiring them to return to work, but not following proper guidelines in the workplace — even encouraging risky behavior. I don’t believe that penalties will influence business’ behavior, and incentives of tax credits will encourage businesses to participate in healthy habits. Many regulators use the enforcement of regulation to influence behavior, and many times it will result in rebellious acts. 

With all this being said, the COVID vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, and should be taken when recommended. Although this has been a long and harrowing year, we can only defeat this with strong community efforts. We can only hope that we will be out of this mess soon.