Sound Off: February 2, 2026

Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.

Clarity

No, it isn’t about Mr. Pretti bringing a gun to a protest. It is about Good and Pretti being duped into ideological violence and interfering with law enforcement. Neither were innocent bystanders. Neither matters what party they were against. Both are a tragedy, but a tragic situation they put themselves into. Which was probably those encouraging the gullible masses to put themselves into to cause a crisis. Just can’t let a crisis go to waste.

The differences

There are significant key differences to Kyle Rittenhouse’s situation and that of Alex Pretti’s. Rittenhouse claimed self-defense after being assaulted and chased by individuals, whereas Pretti was reportedly acting as an aggressor and resisting arrest by law enforcement. Rittenhouse surrendered and approached law enforcement with his hands up, whereas Pretti was involved in a violent armed encounter with officers. Rittenhouse was assaulted and chased by individuals before firing, whereas Pretti was reported to be resisting arrest during a law enforcement operation. Rittenhouse’s case was centered on legal self-defense, whereas Pretti is described as an active aggressor in his situation. Rittenhouse openly carried a rifle and was chased by a crowd clearly indicating that his actions were in self-defense (hence his aquittal) whereas Pretti, though he may have had a permit, wouldn’t have had any issues if he wasn’t acting as the aggressor and resisting law enforcement’s direction. One was running from clear danger and seeking lawful assistance, whereas the other was acting as the aggressor against law enforcement. Two very different situations with likewise different outcomes.

Kavanaugh Stops

“Kavanaugh Stops” is a slang term for a law enforcement practice in which federal agents can stop and detain a person based on their perceived ethnicity, spoken language, or occupation. Kavanaugh’s name is associated with this practice because he wrote a lengthy concurring opinion in Sept. 2025. This opinion allows for people to be stopped and held for being brown unless they can prove they are US citizens. He is now reported to be upset for going down in history in association with this tactic being abused by ICE. You’d expect a good jurist to have seen this abuse coming.

Lemon’s arrest

While I do not like or agree with protestors demonstrating inside a church, Don Lemon was not protesting. While two courts could not find cause to arrest him, the Trump administration found all the evidence they needed-Black, gay, media-connected and a Trump critic.

Morals don’t count

They are finally releasing the Epstein files and already the White House is spinning the information. Apparently, the excuse is it must not be true if no has been arrested. Never mind the victim testimonies and pictures. Epstein is dead so let’s bury the crimes.

Epstein files

More files released, more files that don’t include President Trump. Sorry, haters.

Do as I say ...

Our president is demanding that Iran stop killing protestors and threatening military action against their government. In this country, he has no such demand, and is threatening military action against the protesters. What’s wrong with this picture?

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