Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

Views from readers: The proposed state flag + keeping cities safe

Just say no

I am a citizen of the United States and resident of Mississippi.

I feel comfort believing in the existence of a spiritual God. I will never vote for a state flag which discriminates and alienates residents of this state whose beliefs do not recognize and trust in an omnipotent creator God.

A few such beliefs are Atheism, Buddhism, Jainism, the Charvaka School within Hinduism, Daoism and Confucianism. There are also homegrown religions, such as the Satanic Temple, officially recognized as a nontheistic religion in the United States

The official state flag must be inclusive, rather than exclusive of all residents holding nontheistic beliefs, regardless of how distasteful some may be, personally. Our previous state flag with the divisive Confederate symbol must not be replaced with a flag flouting a divisive religious message, “In God We Trust.”

P. Chris Christofferson

Waveland

Keeping cities safe

Mob rule is starting to make some large cities (100 straight nights of rioting and destruction) look like third world countries where people live in fear of gangs and warlords.

Reports of businesses putting up signs supporting some of the groups in the riotous mobs, hoping this will save their businessm is an indicator that mob intimidation is taking effect.

It is understandable to try anything to save your business from being destroyed, but to think we have that kind of intimidation in any of our cities is unfathomable.

Why is there not a strictly enforced dusk-to-dawn curfew in a city that has had destruction for 100 straight nights?

Put police stops at roads coming into the city, dogs can quickly sniff out homemade bombs, fireworks, etc. Do those in charge of the city even care? Much of this is sent in from outside the area. Who is funding this?

I am not talking about daytime peaceful protesters. The burn, loot and pillagers that show up at night are there for a different reason. Weakened post WW1 Germany had two socialist factions vying for control of the country, the Nazis and the Communists. Intimidation by roving bands of Nazis in the streets facilitated Nazi control of the people.

Paul Stultz

Ocean Springs

Pass the bill

Especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, lymphedema patients must have the medical supplies they need to safely manage their condition at home.

The Lymphedema Treatment Act (S.518/H.R.1948) is a bipartisan bill that will improve insurance coverage for medically necessary, prescription compression supplies. Without this central component of treatment, lymphedema patients are at significantly increased risk of infection and hospitalization.

With more than 450 cosponsors, the Lymphedema Treatment Act is the most supported healthcare bill in Congress and should be passed into law this year.

Patricia Peltier

Biloxi

Blake Kaplan
Opinion Contributor,
Sun Herald
Blake Kaplan is a former journalist for the Sun Herald
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