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

Sound Off

Sound Off: September 10, 2025

Religious and mental health groups reject online gambling expansion across the nation.
Religious and mental health groups reject online gambling expansion across the nation. svetikd/Getty Images

Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.

Don’t do it

Online gambling is a trap. You’re promised money to bet with a minimal wager out of pocket, then they have your bank. There’s a reason you can only buy lottery tickets with cash, trust me.

Nothing sacred

U S. politics have turned into one big filled commode. Apparently, President Trump is now celebrating the cancellation of Tom Hanks’ award ceremony for “outstanding citizenship” from West Point graduates who chose him. Hanks is well known for his lifetime support of veterans.

Best and worst

Researchers at Oxfam recently reported the best and worst states/places to work. The best: Washington, D.C., California, Oregon, New York, Washington. The worst: North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Utah, Texas, Wyoming, Louisiana. Interesting that all the best states are Democrat, and the worst states are Republican. I guess these statistics are overlooked when the federal government deploys the National Guard to only Democrat states under the pretense, they are the most problematic.

Give it a rest

Now we’re going to spend a week or two arguing about a note allegedly from the president to Jeffrey Epstein? This Trump Derangement Syndrome seems to have no end.

The long game

Whoever that guy was who forged President Trump’s name on the Epstein card in 1995 and patiently waited 30 years for a leak was a next-level strategist. It’s almost unbelievable.

Relax

The president has stated that the elimination of FEMA will not affect the distribution of money to states affected by a disaster. The government will still send monies when a request is made. The overseeing of those funds will be determined locally. This has been stated many times. Unfortunately, the major news networks only report the elimination statement and not the rest of the story.

The law is there

There is already a clear and comprehensive policy on immigration. Arrive here legally or be deported. Just because past administrations didn’t enforce the law doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

It’s quite simple, really

It’s really not that tough to figure out. If you are in America illegally, we will take appropriate action. I truly don’t understand what is so difficult to understand about that whole idea.

The latest raid

The immigration raid on the Hyundai plant in Georgia was purely political. President Trump’s attack was not because these South Koreans are murderers or drug traffickers or hardened criminals. He attacked the plant because they are building auto batteries (clean energy). South Korea is an ally, not a drug cartel country. Again, with the administration, it is shoot, ready, aim.

Big change

It’s amazing how quickly U.S. immigration enforcement policy went from “we must protect the innocent victims of MS-13 violence” to “we will chain and perp-walk Korean engineers with the wrong paperwork.”

What’s in a name?

President Trump’s plan to change the Department of Defense to the Department of War sends the wrong message. Defense is positive. War is negative. There are other ways the Department of Defense protects our country besides armed conflict — through technological advances, diplomacy and intelligent conflict resolution, for starters.

Court ruling

Looking Latino and speaking Spanish are not reasons for the police to stop and interrogate you. This ruling from the Supreme Court is a disgrace and goes against our core American values.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.

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