Sound Off: February 17, 2026

Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.

Russia targets people

Unable to overrun Ukraine’s military, Russia targets population centers and energy infrastructure to inflict suffering on the Ukrainian people. Ukraine targets Russian oil infrastructure to disrupt Russia’s oil business. Those different objectives tell you all you need to know about the morality of Russia’s war of aggression.

Renewing civic duty

At the current time, we are in a moment of deep division. The United States and Mississippi must renew the civic foundations that hold our republic together by strengthening civics education, teaching honest and complete American history, promoting principled patriotism rooted in the Constitution, and encouraging national service that unites citizens across backgrounds. A free society survives only when its people understand their government, value their shared identity, and accept personal responsibility for preserving it. Without that commitment, political disagreement hardens into chaos, but with it, self-government remains strong for the next and future generations.

What is real?

AI imagery has already contaminated the internet. It will be up to individual users to verify what they see or read is real or true. This will be hard work. There are good fakes on YouTube now, and they’ve been improving quickly. Truth-teller websites can help figure things out.

Travel tip

Travel tip. The second iteration of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) in Bloom Festival occurs May 8-11, 2026. Was present at the inaugural event last year. Gorgeous tulips everywhere. NOTL is a town in southern Ontario that sits on the shores of Lake Ontario. Quaint and beautiful. Maybe lodge at a vintage hotel. Highly recommend.

Not newsworthy

I don’t even bother reading beyond the first sentence of those who defend ICE. Obama deported 3 million illegal I’m migrants without a private army of masked men.

Felony exemption

When I worked for the government, convicted felons were not hired. What happened? If it has changed, take that question off employment applications.

Local fraud

Seems like everyday someone locally is being accused of embezzlement. We need to stop looking at everyone else and focus on our own people.

Send your Sound Offs to soundoff@sunherald.com.