Support for AFA Class of 2020

I applaud the Gazette’s Thursday editorial supporting the AFA Class of 2020. This class has had a final semester that no one would wish on a senior class. However, they have handled it with dignity and honor.

When you realize this semester also included the death of two of their classmates, their attitude and professionalism are all the more impressive. In addition to flying the American flag, I would encourage everyone who has a AFA flag or banner to display it on their front porch. Let’s show the women and men of the Class of 2020 that Colorado Springs and America support them.

David Geuting, AFA Class of ’83

Colorado Springs

No longer a farm-centered economy

Why are so many school districts calling an end to the school year? What is so sacred about June, July and August? Can’t kids go to school in the summer? One would think that is out of the question! News flash — we are not a farm-centered economy any more. Kids don’t need to be off all summer to help on the farm these days! Teachers aren’t filing unemployment claims because they are still getting paid and they are in line for stimulus checks, too. The people who pay their wages are the ones now unemployed.

As a maintenance tech and locksmith in a large well-to-do Colorado school district, I had occasion to be in every district’s school break room and staff work room. You will find in most of them the same ‘cute’ sign posted somewhere. It says: The three best reasons for being a teacher — June, July, Aug. Perhaps it’s time to take a harder look at public education, but I doubt that the mighty teachers unions would approve.

Len Bentley

Colorado Springs

Power, authority and responsibility

Scott Bookman, Colorado’s coronavirus incident commander, is quoted in The Gazette article “Stay-at- home order to stay” that “the governor is very clear that the state will not reopen until we have the capacity to keep everyone safe.”

In addition to being impossible, where in our state constitution is that power, authority and responsibility to keep everyone safe and risk-free given to the governor?

Dick Standaert

Colorado Springs

Columnist lacks economic literacy

Re: “Pandemic proves that not all Americans are equal.” Ruben Navarrette, the economically illiterate, is so worried about monetary equality but ignores the elephant in the room. Americans are able to pay for so much because the country runs on the tax revenue of business, especially small businesses, most of which are shut down.

He advocates for paying off student loans for anyone in the medical field. He ignores or doesn’t know that college tuition inflated salaries have soared since the government got involved in financing college educations and student loans. He wants pay out but never mentions pay in. He doesn’t know that we pay.

Solid math shows that the super wealthy in our society cannot sustain our country’s bills. Taxed at 90%, the country could only be sustained for three or four months and would not pay off our huge debt. He worries about hedge fund managers but ignores the great Nancy Pelosi, who gives a late night interview in her kitchen showing off her stash of gourmet ice cream. She then proceeds to turn down assistance for small businesses while shaving off huge monetary payouts for unrelated issues such as taxpayer millions for the Kennedy Center.

Then there are cash payments from politicians in California to help illegals through the lockdown. Never mind the American worker and taxpayer whose pockets it comes out of because they need that dough to come from the political hacks who hope to buy their illegal votes. It’s other people’s money. So what?

Navarrette needs vacation in a socialist Eden. How about a year’s sabbatical in glorious Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, rural China? It would be such a fruitful education. It will make up for his economic illiteracy.

And I really don’t care what Justin Timberlake thinks about 24/7 parenting. Like most Hollywood celebrities, he doesn’t live in the real world. It’s not our problem. Celebs like Justin make a lot of money because some people chose to give him a lot of money for his dubious entertainment value. I don’t lose sleep over this. It’s still a free country, even for idiots. I worry more about the effects of economic illiteracy on voters from people like Ruben, who write silly columns skirting real economic theft issues.

Donna T. Hartley

Black Forest

COVID-19 won’t change this mindset

Ruben Navarrette makes a decent point but misuses Thomas Jefferson’s phrase from the Declaration of Independence. The context from that important document is that all men (humans) are equal in the eyes of God. God does not look at us and see black, white, blue collar, nurse, doctor, movie star, etc. He sees the raw essence of who we are down to the core of our souls. However, we sinful human beings see each other in myriad terrible ways, through envy, strife, greed, disgust, lust, and the list goes on.

We are not equal in each other’s eyes because we are selfish. We want what we want and we want it now, forget everyone else. I agree with Ruben that we place the wrong people on too high a pedestal. Singers, movie stars, and sports players might lift our spirits for a short time, but medical professionals help heal our broken bodies for the long term. Doctors and nurses absolutely should be making a million dollars a year for what they do for us. Police and firefighters protect our persons and our property and should earn a decent six-figure salary. I don’t discount Justin Timberlake’s or Lebron James’ talents, but they get millions for what? Lifting our spirits for a short movie/video or game/season? Our society decides compensation on the worth of the activity. Sadly, the temporary/immediate gets more attention than the long term. COVID-19 will not change this horrible mindset.

Joseph Ford

Colorado Springs