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On Fourth of July, give
thanks for our republic
As we celebrate the 249th anniversary of the United States of America, I invite you to reflect on some of the timeless words in the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”
These words remind us of the courage and vision of our forefathers, who risked everything to secure our independence from England. Their legacy continued with the creation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, establishing our constitutional republic — a beacon of freedom and opportunity for all.
Let us honor the brave men and women who founded our nation by giving thanks to God for their sacrifices and embracing the values that define America: hard work, honesty, lawfulness and patriotism.
David Ott
Pleasanton
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ latest
inhumane Trump stunt
The new facility in the Florida Everglades to house illegal immigrants will concentrate people collected by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Donald Trump jokingly called it “alligator Alcatraz.” Kristi Noem got her picture taken.
The inmates will be Spanish-speaking people characterized as rapists and murderers and will be deported to a camp without due process. They will be living in cages. Many tried to escape the cartels in their countries. The cartels make money by selling illegal drugs to U.S. citizens whose appetite for dangerous, illegal substances never wanes.
When the ICE agents and prison guards in these camps are questioned about their un-American activities, they will respond by saying, “I was just following orders.”
Norman Weiss
Orinda
What is the cause of
Trump’s indifference?
It has become obvious that Donald Trump doesn’t care.
He doesn’t care about the people he hurt by cutting Medicaid or those that will die because he cut USAID.
He doesn’t care about the people ICE agents have arrested, people who have contributed to this country in many ways. (Let us not forget his ancestors were immigrants, as well as his wife.)
What I want to know is why. Why doesn’t he care? We, the people, deserve to know.
He obviously honors wealth, but guess what. When he dies, he can’t take it with him, so he might as well use it to benefit the poor, the downtrodden, those who need it more than he does.
JoAnne Wilfong
San Ramon
Nation continues
down perilous path
My, but how far we’ve fallen when our government casts a blind eye to how top officials flout our most sacred laws and rights.
Enmeshments are paraded to the public like a fine garment to be cooed over, as Congress holds firm along ideological lines that, for an awaiting public, are neither ideal nor logical. Meanwhile, we lose our rights, our societal benefits, and our esteem in the eyes of the world.
We all suffer as we free fall ever and on.
William Green
Alameda
Preventable deaths
will be Kennedy’s fault
I agree with Rep. Dr. Kim Schrier, of Washington state, a retired pediatrician serving on the House of Representatives Health Subcommittee. During her June 27 questioning of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had just fired every member of the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replaced them all with people who have questioned CDC policy on vaccines, she accused him of lying to the American people for 20 years about vaccine safety. She went on to say that she will hold him personally responsible for every “vaccine-preventable death” resulting from his lies. His own cousin, Caroline Kennedy, publicly stated that RFK Jr. has had all of his own children vaccinated.
Kennedy has also said, without evidence, that the CIA killed his uncle, President John F Kennedy; Sirhan Sirhan did not murder his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy; and mass shootings are linked to prescription drugs.
Arthur Straus
Walnut Creek
Shine will be off
the state soon enough
Re: “Ignore haters, California is a national model” (Page A6, June 25).
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DeAndre Evans penned an op-ed praising California’s allure. Welcome, Mr. Evans! California may dazzle at first, but its sheen fades.
Evans omitted critical truths: California leads the nation in homelessness and boasts the highest gas prices. He lauded the high-speed rail, yet ignored its 20-year saga — $16 billion spent, zero operational miles built. Our governor, who flouted his own pandemic mandates at a lavish dinner, adds irony. California ranks near the bottom as a state to move to or raise a family. Its $12 billion deficit looms large, alongside the nation’s highest poverty rate. Should I mention how we also have the fourth fastest reducing population since 2020? If California is so wonderful, why are working-class citizens leaving?
Evans’ rosy lens misses these harsh realities. Still, enjoy your stay, Mr. Evans, but time will reveal California’s challenges.
Jack Belgarde
Pacheco