Opinion | The Tennessee Expulsions: ‘What a Travesty!’
To the Editor:
Re “2 Democrats Expelled in Tennessee Energy Play” (information article, April 7):
I grew up in Tennessee, went to Friday night time soccer video games, ate catfish and hush puppies. One great-great-grandfather fought in Morgan’s Raid in opposition to the Union. An ideal-grandfather was within the legislature and voted in opposition to ladies’s suffrage. For good, for unhealthy, Tennessee was my residence state.
Which I now don’t acknowledge. Our 28-year-old daughter simply moved to Nashville for a job. She had fond recollections of visiting my household in Gallatin as slightly woman. However she knew issues had modified when she was in a neighborhood Starbucks and noticed a man stroll in with a Glock caught in his pants.
And now she sees the Tennessee Home expelling two Black members — solely the Black members — for daring to lift their voices for stricter gun legal guidelines. She noticed a legislature whose precedence is racist political punishment, not the bullets that exploded in six individuals final week.
This may by no means be my daughter’s state. And I don’t assume it’s mine anymore both.
Beth Potter
Harrington Park, N.J.
To the Editor:
Throughout President Biden’s State of the Union speech, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert repeatedly interrupted him, with Ms. Greene screaming, “Liar!” Each ladies are nonetheless members of Congress.
However let two Black representatives in Tennessee protest the dearth of gun management laws after youngsters have been massacred, and they’re thrown out of workplace by the Republicans. The white feminine legislator was allowed to maintain her seat.
What a travesty! What a horrible place this nation has come to!
Barbara Barran
Brooklyn
To the Editor:
Re “As Younger Individuals March for Their Lives, Tennessee Crushes Dissent and Overrides Democracy,” by Margaret Renkl (Opinion visitor essay, nytimes.com, April 5):
As a 67-year-old lifelong resident of Tennessee, I want to guarantee People that the horror of what’s taking place now in our state doesn’t mirror the attitudes and beliefs of everybody right here (as evidenced by the considerate and persuasive writing of Ms. Renkl).
The tyranny of the bulk is on full show because the legislature runs roughshod over the average and much left whereas roughly 35 to 40 % of the residents of our state frequently vote in opposition to the right-wing candidates, proposals and mandates.
The supermajority within the state home has silenced these voices by gerrymandering, enacting oppressive legal guidelines within the title of non secular dogma, and now expelling duly elected representatives.
Maybe it’s naïve to search for equity in politics, however we actually can demand that our voices not less than be heard. We hope for justice to prevail by the checks and balances in our methods. In any other case, we’re silenced, pissed off, discouraged and offended.
Wesley H. Roberts
Pegram, Tenn.
The ‘Troubling’ Ethics of Clarence Thomas
To the Editor:
Re “Revelations About Justice Thomas Immediate Requires Tighter Ethics Guidelines” (information article, April 7):
Justice Clarence Thomas is the embodiment of all the explanations the Supreme Courtroom wants a public set of moral requirements to information and monitor its habits.
It has lengthy been reported that Justice Thomas has refused to recuse himself from instances the place his far-right activist spouse, Ginni, has been concerned. Now new reporting exhibits him having been entertained on a billionaire’s yacht with out reporting such largess as legally required.
Public confidence in and esteem for the court docket have dipped to an incredibly low stage over the previous 25 years. Because the court docket lacks any energy to implement its rulings, public perceptions of its honesty and integrity are manifestly necessary.
Belief within the establishment of the court docket has been rigorously constructed over many generations, but it’s inherently fragile. Justice Thomas is single-handedly eroding this belief. The court docket ought to act, actually it should act, to counter this lack of belief earlier than everlasting injury is completed.
Ken Derow
Swarthmore, Pa.
To the Editor:
I discover it nothing in need of astonishing and troubling that Justice Clarence Thomas has by no means disclosed the extent of the items he has obtained from the Harlan Crow household over the past couple of many years.
If the rule of legislation is to use to everybody (simply because it simply did with Donald Trump), how can Justice Thomas escape scrutiny over the journey and leisure items he has obtained over an extended interval from a G.O.P. megadonor billionaire?
It appears absurd to imagine that he has not been influenced by this donor, who has underwritten a lot of Justice Thomas’s leisure time, little of which has been disclosed. If we can’t count on the justices of the Supreme Courtroom (every of whom wields monumental energy) to behave ethically on this nation, we’re actually in hassle.
Peter Alkalay
Scarsdale, N.Y.
The author is a lawyer.
Preventing Inflation
To the Editor:
Re “Fed’s Inflation Goal Might Be Too Low,” by Jeff Sommer (Methods column, Sunday Enterprise, March 26):
I disagree with Mr. Sommer. There are three necessary causes inflation needs to be crushed again all the way down to 2 %.
First, excessive inflation disrupts long-term planning of each variety, be it private, company or authorities. Why? As a result of it dilutes incentives to avoid wasting and make investments.
Second, persistent excessive inflation will erode, and ultimately destroy, the incalculable advantages the U.S. derives from the greenback’s standing because the world’s reserve foreign money.
Third, and in the end most necessary, Americans depend on their foreign money to reside their day by day lives. Depreciation of the greenback by way of inflation degrades our belief in our establishments, our authorities and ourselves as residents in a social contract.
God is aware of, there’s sufficient of that already.
James L.P. Glidden
Holliston, Mass.
Deliver Again the Ties
To the Editor:
Re “The place Have All of the Neckties Gone?,” by Peter Coy (Opinion, nytimes.com, March 31):
Deliver again the ties. It’s a simple strategy to present your individuality and elegance whereas nonetheless dressing historically. And, sorry, however a person in a swimsuit with out a tie seems incompletely dressed. Ditto for untucked shirts.
Lewis Kampel
New York
