Our daily bread in America is the daily mayhem report. Out-of-control crime like the University of Virginia shootings rises as surely as the sun does.
This country has basically given up on preventing and correcting misbehavior. We don’t do it in our homes, our streets, our boardrooms, our police forces, our schoolhouses or our statehouses.
Crime exploded after World War II, but get-tough measures failed so badly we gave up on crime. We started downgrading felonies to misdemeanors, then decided not to prosecute misdemeanors altogether. California now sees smash-and-grabs invited by public policy that refuses to prosecute commercial robbery under $1,000.
We have implemented release-without-bail policies for repeat offenders, essentially giving criminals a “get out of jail free” card.
Our un-enlightened justice system mocks our founders’ “speedy justice” mandate and their effective program of hard labor to prevent and rehabilitate crime. We have three justice strategies today: “It’s all good,” “Let it be,” and “All we need is love.”
It was housewives who started the Mothers Against Drunk Driving campaign and singlehandedly cleaned up the DUI mess in America. Maybe “We the people” need to get “woke” about crime and do something.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross, Utah
City offerings
garner praise
Good news! Bravo to city of Edinburg as its revitalization of downtown continues. Since the holiday season has ensued, there have been numerous festivities including parades, live music, food trucks and more near the new amphitheater in downtown Edinburg. New restaurants and small businesses are opening that increase our quality of life. Now, we who live downtown can elect to walk or bike to our dentist, doctor, library, grocery store and more.
Add UTRGV campus nearby and life gets even better with attendance at the many activities at the UTRGV Performing Arts Complex or public seminars such as the Eco-Rio Environmental Seminar held recently at the ballroom on campus. I’m into classical music and in the past months I’ve attended a French horn choir as well as symphonies and recitals; some are free and others are at a very low price; but there are also modern music alternatives as well as plays and art exhibitions to be enjoyed.
Thanks to Edinburg and UTRGV for enriching our lives.
Diane Teter
Edinburg
Trump taxes
spur comment
I am really disappointed in my fellow Americans! I learned from news sources that Donald Trump was not audited by the IRS; Trump said many, many times that his returns were audited every year. Now we learned otherwise —much to my chagrin his was nada! How could anyone build a $10 billion empire without showing some profit and having to owe some taxes?
In the 1960s we were audited and because we didn’t keep gas receipts the IRS disallowed our claims and we had to pay more plus penalties. A working family with three children earning very little back in the old days, those few deductions was very important to us. Then again, just recently, time goes by so fast now, the IRS said we had missed reporting a $350 dividend and required more taxes plus penalties!
All those billionaires not paying anything is downright despicable and un-American, to say the least. They all use public-supported conveniences, I would guess with a big smile on their faces.
Bill Williams
Palmview
