Modesto resident: I’m sick of do-nothing politicians who allow kids to die in school shootings | Opinion

April Mogan, left, with daughter Kaylie Anderson, 9, son Kolby Anderson, 12, and mother Susie Garcia, holds a candle at a vigil in downtown Oroville on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, for the two boys who were injured in a shooting at Feather River Adventist School earlier in the week.

Save our kids

Three Modesto-area teens arrested in past week for threats against schools. The trend is national,” (modbee.com, Sept. 17, 2024)

In our country, yet another school shooting, and another chorus of “thoughts and prayers” from our so-called leaders. Abortion and right-to-life issues are prevalent among Republicans and also some Democrats — it seems to be all we hear about. But once the child is born, politicians no longer care about them because they’re no longer a political issue that can be used to retain political power.

Republicans are always against early childhood education, child care subsidies, health care access for children and meaningful gun legislation. Sorry, kids: We got you born, and now you’re on your own. You’re no use to us until you’re old enough to vote.

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I can’t stand to watch or listen to do-nothing politicians, Republicans and Democrats alike. They are letting our children die.

Bob Yribarren

Modesto

Opinion

Modesto’s worsening homeless issue

Modesto area’s latest homeless count for 2024 is in. What stories do they tell?” (modbee.com, May 14, 2024)

Modesto’s homeless problem is not fixed, and the Community Health and Assistance Team, Dignity houses and Downtown Streets Team seem to only be fixing a tiny portion of the issue. Their impact is perhaps no more than worthless dressings on a gaping wound.

Now, of course, the extremely conservative Supreme Court has made it easier to punish homeless individuals following their decision last year in the case of Grants Pass v. Johnson, which allows anti-camping laws to be strictly enforced even if a city is unable to offer open beds or a safe shelter. In other words, not only are our unhoused neighbors being told they are not wanted in our town, they might even be jailed or fined for trying to keep warm and get some sleep.

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Where do they go? There is no place here except the Salvation Army and Modesto Gospel Mission, but beds are limited and may not be available.

Modesto leaders must give our unhoused neighbors more options. Look to Visalia as an example.

Diane Kroeze

Modesto

Trains are the solution

Bee opinion writer told to go to ‘mental institution’ over high-speed rail column | Opinion,” (modbee.com, Dec. 26, 2024)

Non-polluting or low-polluting trains have been an excellent idea for a long time. Opposition to them is typical Republican short-term thinking, and Elon Musk is a terrible choice to make decisions — or to even be taken seriously.

He not only has an enormous financial stake in cars (a competing interest to trains), he’s a billionaire who’s unlikely to understand the needs of most ordinary, working-class people. Musk, who is not an elected politician, is having an inappropriate and outsized influence on our government.

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As for road expansion, every lane built will just get filled up with more car traffic. It will only encourage people to drive cars more when new lanes are built, and then we run into the same problem: too little space on the roads. Trains are the solution.

John Lehman

Atwater

Broaden your worldview

AFS students to give presentations on homelands at Salida branch of library,” (modbee.com, Nov. 17, 2015)

Learn more about the world by participating in the AFS Intercultural Program and hosting a high school exchange student.

I have had visits from many students we have hosted including a recent visit from our exchange “son” from Germany who was here for 11 months in 1991-92. Andi attended Downey High School and is remembered by at least two of his teachers and many friends he made during that year.

Hosting a young person from another country helps broaden their lives and yours. Whether or not you have young children or teens, this program helps international students learn more about the world.

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AFS Students for 2024-25, are working on their applications and will be available in January for choosing for 2025. Contact AFS through afsusa.org or email me, your local AFS representative (nancy.38.howard@gmail.com).

Nancy Howard

Modesto