Why is Michael Flynn above the law?: Readers sound off
Letter to the editor:
The memo from prosecutors on special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation team, which came with a no-prison sentencing recommendation for Michael Flynn, has lowered my regard for his office’s ability to uphold the rule of law. Mueller’s recommendation essentially states that Flynn is above the law.
Does Mueller and the news media expect Americans to be impressed with the fact that Flynn met with his team 19 times over the past year?
That somehow we should respect Flynn just because he provided Mueller with information?
Talker: What Michael Flynn's memo means
Regardless of one’s perspective on Mueller’s memo, Flynn was appointed by President Donald Trump as his national security adviser, and yet he is accused of engaging in counterintelligence work against the U.S.
Mueller’s memo probably means more bad news for Trump. But will he be above the law, too?
Anh Le; San Francisco
Knickers lives; so should other steer
Letter to the editor:
It’s a relief that Knickers, the tallest steer in Australia, who became famous when photos of him towering over a herd of brown cows surfaced on social media, won’t be killed and turned into hamburgers and steaks. I hope everyone who was rooting for Knickers will do something to help other sentient animals like him and go vegan.
All animals, regardless of their size, are individuals with unique personalities. Cows, for example, are gentle animals who form lifelong friendships and mourn when they lose a loved one. They feel pain every bit as much as humans do and are afraid to die. But when cows are sent to slaughter, they’re hung upside-down, their throats are cut, and they’re skinned and gutted.
Related: Do we need the government to tell us that almond milk doesn't come from a cow?
Not all animals are lucky enough to be spared from slaughter. Fortunately, we can all help animals by eating vegan foods, instead of animal-based ones.
Heather Moore, senior writer at PETA Foundation; Norfolk, Va.
We need to talk race
Letter to the editor:
The country is completely polarized due to nonstop race talk in our society by those who refer to themselves as “conservatives.” What these people want to conserve is anybody’s guess. But some self-proclaimed conservatives don’t talk about race explicitly; they use what is known as “dog whistles,” which are coded messages or phrases that are commonly understood by the general population but has a different or more specific meaning for a targeted subgroup.
Here’s how it’s done:
Think about terms such as entitlements, freeloaders, takers and makers, welfare queens, people who only want free stuff, inner-city crime drug tests for welfare recipients, illegal immigrants or “bad hombres.” What ethnicities do you associate with those terms?
More: 'Good guys' with guns don't include black guys
Or, think about terms such as the heartland, the silent majority, hardworking taxpayers, real Americans, taking our country back, Anglo-Saxon heritage, birthers, law and order, tough on crime or war on terror. What ethnicities do you associate with those terms?
It seems to me that race must be discussed with friends, neighbors, relatives and children again and again, if we expect the country to ever be united. The solution to fixing economic inequality isn’t just economic policy — it’s also tackling racism.
Dennis Kostecki; Sausalito, Calif.
GM excuse for ‘offshoring’ is cheap
Letter to the editor:
Pundits have valid points about shutting plants that are producing cars not selling enough. However, General Motors’ job was to foresee this happening so all that was needed was a relatively short shutdown to change plants’ manufacturing to different cars or trucks.
Related: Don't blame Donald Trump's tariffs for GM layoffs
With the newer plants, with all the robotics available, this should not be as time consuming or difficult. To use this as an excuse to possibly take manufacture “offshore” — especially if it’s China — is cheap and clueless, at best. I would seriously consider a GM electric vehicle made in the U.S., but never one from China. Shortsighted people will say, “But the profits go to us.” But what about the lost wages and profits from them?
Glen Gunter; York, Pa.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is Michael Flynn above the law?: Readers sound off
