Running defense

Aug. 1—Peter E. Masti/Ravena, N.Y.

I love this nation but hate what politics, politicians, and those who want to destroy this country have done to it. My sixth grade teacher told us that America “is too strong to be destroyed from the outside, but can only be destroyed from within.” We see that happening right now.

Hands up—“Defund the police”

Aug. 1—John Maki on wng.org

Nearly four decades in law enforcement taught me that “overpolicing” is about the only way to deal proactively with serious, violent crime in high-crime areas. Enforcing the mundane often leads to the discovery of hard drugs and illegal firearms that are the root of many serious crimes.

Bob Cremer on wng.org

Young black men are often treated with suspicion because a few young black men commit so many crimes. Now the police are being painted as the enemy because a few are bad.

Summer sadness

Aug. 1—Steve Shive on wng.org

Legislating an ever-increasing minimum wage is virtue signaling of the worst kind. Entry level jobs that provide training and experience are lost in the lust to stay in office.

Paul Gosselin/Saint-Augustin, Quebec

The lockdowns remind me of The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt. She describes how in a “government by decree” bureaucrats rule through pure power. People don’t know the reasons for the decrees, supposedly accessible only to “experts,” and so “there remains only one thing that counts, the brutal naked event itself.” It was published just after World War II, but seems to have been written yesterday.

A closed door

Aug. 1—Mark Hettler/Bordertown N.J.

Thank you to Mindy Belz for keeping us informed about the plight of Christian refugees. It seems the rest of the media just aren’t interested.

What might have been

Aug. 1—David Goodin/Uniontown, Pa.

This is an excellent rebuttal to those who suggest George Floyd’s past sins mitigate the horror of his death and the criminality of his killers. “Gentle giant” was perhaps too generous, but “thug” is derisive and dismissive. Floyd was on a journey, and so am I.

Henry Harvey/Memphis, Tenn.

This tragedy points out the important responsibility of police chiefs, who must screen out the bad apples and give the rest proper training.

Telemedicine’s big moment

Aug. 1—Kristofer Sandlund/Zanesville, Ohio

As a family physician, I see the advantages of “telehealth” visits, especially during the epidemic, but there are disadvantages. Virtually every week I see patients with problems that I would have misdiagnosed through video chats, such as the asymptomatic patient who needed a pacemaker.

Great expectations, unmet

Aug. 1—Jace Bower/Staunton, Va.

This encouraging read delivered a powerful reminder that all of us are searching for hope and security and that the only true source of such hope and security is Christ.

Standing for the gospel in the NBA

Aug. 1—Nathan Gesner on Facebook

Not long ago the NFL told Tim Tebow that the field was not a place to kneel. Relativism is a funny thing.

Correction

Two pre-print research papers that described studies in Indonesia and the Philippines linking severe COVID-19 with vitamin D deficiency have been retracted amid doubts about their authenticity (“Studies on COVID-19 severity,” June 6, p. 16).

More letters, emails, and comments we didn’t have space for in the print edition:

Men and church

Aug. 1—Ann Marshall on wng.org

Perhaps our mostly verbal and passive church services don’t appeal to men as much as to women. The New Testament sounds as if Jesus took his disciples on a very long walk, during which they did deeds of spiritual derring-do. My husband and sons would have loved that.

Summer sadness

Aug. 1—Jim Manuel on wng.org

I don’t see how we can motivate people in cities where the future is a career in fast food. Manufacturing built the cities, but now much of it has been regulated out of our country to China and India. The manufacturing towns weren’t Utopia, but they were better than generations of welfare and family destruction.

David Wallover/Medina, Ohio

Our society is so polarized, and mainstream and social media just pour gasoline on the flames. But you folks at WORLD remain thoughtful, Biblical, calm, and focused. Thank you.

Great expectations, unmet

Aug. 1—Cheryl Irish/Bastrop, Texas

What a perspective! Janie B. Cheaney clearly explained the motivations of the extreme ends of our political divide, as well as the feelings of “we in the middle.”

What might have been

Aug. 1—Christina Wilson on wng.org

Clearly Floyd lived a many-faceted life. The sad part is that the officers who killed him knew none of his history, good or bad. Was it because of the color of his skin that George Floyd is now dead? To say it had nothing to do with it is beyond belief.

Hands up—“Defund the police”

Aug. 1—Neil Evans on wng.org

The fatal flaw in our culture is the belief in the goodness of man, denying the Fall. So we often look around and conclude, “There are a lot of bad people around. I just wish they could be as good as me.”

Too few babies

July 31—Savannah Fowler on Facebook

Babies don’t have to be that expensive. Buy everything used and look for hand-me-downs. Realize babies don’t need all the bells and whistles. The world stokes fear of financial distress and teaches overpreparation; families are scared they’ll never be ready for children. Newsflash: No one is ever really ready. My generation needs to realize that sacrifices must be made to raise little hearts for God’s glory.

Luke Baldwin on Facebook

We are headed to the population crash that Japan is experiencing.

Jeremy Martin on Facebook

Maybe politicians could consider not sending millions of dollars to Planned Parenthood to help kill the next generation.

Festival or tragedy: The Portland protests

July 29—Paula Guinn Cate on Facebook

The hypocrisy of elected leaders in encouraging rather than condemning this violence only increases the danger for all of us.

Michael Prewitt on Facebook

And whatever is done or said to oppose the rioting, people will say it was in response to “peaceful protests.”

Rebecca Green on Facebook

As the body of Christ, particularly my white brothers and sisters, we have hard work to do. We must allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of the ongoing sin of racism and injustice. I know some of the peaceful demonstrators who are my black brothers and sisters, and they have been appealing to us for years to open our eyes.

Charlotte Marie on Facebook

I don’t understand why we need to repent for things we did not do. My ancestors fought to free the slaves. Is that credit toward my account? Only Jesus has died and risen to take away our sins. We can’t even take away our own sins, let alone our neighbor’s ancestor’s sins.

A sword of conquest at Hagia Sophia

July 27—Maria Helena Jobim on Facebook

If Israel had converted the mosque on the Dome of the Rock into a synagogue, there would be an international uproar, U.N. resolutions, non-stop coverage, and declarations of war, including from Turkey. But now Erdogan is converting a world heritage site and the universal symbol of the Orthodox Christian faith into a mosque, and none of these hypocrites seem to notice.

COVID-19 ICU mortality rate is dropping

July 23—Leah Hensley Richards on Facebook

This is spot-on. Call it fear mongering if you like. But, as a working nurse who is seeing this firsthand, all of our local hospitals are bursting at the seams right now. But it is true that we are much better equipped, with knowledge as well as tools, than a few months back.

Rushed answers don’t solve complex policing problems

July 22—April Mullen on Facebook

Thank you for this thoughtful article. I would love to see local and state and national leaders move beyond political labels and actually work toward a solution; even a step would be welcome.