Letter: Dishonoring the Flag | Bad Times

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Flag gift
Disgrace the King

It’s that time of year again. Recently, two competing real estate companies in my neighborhood of Almaden started putting little American flags (with business cards) in front of each house. I’m guessing it’s an effort to inspire patriotism, but it could just be for publicity. (How is that even possible?)

These flags are placed loosely on the ground in front of each home and are left there. I was taught as a child that the American flag should never touch the ground. Some of these flags have fallen to the ground within minutes of being placed. Some homeowners never put these flags back up.

Wouldn’t it be better if the real estate agents put the flags in the homeowners mailboxes? Then the homeowners could decide whether or not to display the flags appropriately. Then all these flags would be respected.

Monty Steadman
San Jose

Trump’s victory
It will be the beginning of bad times

Have you started preparing for a Donald Trump victory? Have you started building a physical or mental shelter?

If we were to progress naturally over time, a second Trump term would be out of the question. But the truth is, we don’t progress in a straight line. We only have ups and downs. And in November, polls show we’re going to have a really big downturn.

My parents had their childhoods robbed by the Great Depression, then World War II, then the Holocaust, then the McCarthy era. It was hard. And we’re going to have some pretty hard times this November. Polls are predicting some unbelievable things to happen to this country.

It helps to know that my parents themselves had incredible backgrounds.

It’s almost November, so hold on to your hats!

Robert Wright
San Jose

Trump won’t show up
It could be a good thing

There is a slim chance that Donald Trump will not attend the debate, and my imagination is stretched beyond my capacity to come up with all the possible excuses.

Make no mistake, Joe Biden, in most of his persona, has been preparing by debating one or more of Trump’s representatives.

So if Trump tries to cancel the debate or simply doesn’t show up, the Biden campaign could bring one of Trump’s sparring partners onto the stage to informally fill in for the absentee.

After the appropriate disclaimers, CNN can move forward with the scheduled debate as if nothing had happened. The debate could be very insightful and entertaining, and it could be a great way for Biden to earn valuable, free campaign advertising.

And depending on who represents Trump and how the “solo candidate” and “will Trump show up” debate is driven, CNN’s ratings could actually be higher.

Barry Bronson
Saratoga

Based on several principles,
Polarized only option

Regarding “The Coalition Cannot Withstand Continued Polarization” (June 13, page A6).

Regarding Connor Vaughn, a high school student who denounced the rampant “political polarization” in our country, I believe polarization is necessary.

At the end of the day, someone has to stand up against those who think they are above the law and can trample the Constitution. You have to stand up for the planet against global warming deniers. You have to stand up for minority rights and immigration against xenophobes. You have to stand up for voting rights against election deniers. You have to stand up for gender equality and abortion rights against sexists. You have to stand up for gun safety and gun control against the NRA. You have to stand up for LGBTQ rights against homophobes and others. You have to stand up for democracy against authoritarianism.

Polarization exists over ideas that are not truly connected to making America great again.

Guy Vigee
San Jose

Achieving climate goals
Reforms must be allowed

My husband and I are on our way back to California after driving across the US in our EV to Washington, DC. The main purpose of this trip was to attend the Citizens Climate Lobby Summer Conference and Lobbying Days in Washington DC from June 8-11.

On June 11, over 1,000 climate-conscious volunteers from across the country held 442 lobbying meetings on Capitol Hill, meeting with Senators and Representatives from both parties (including meetings in the offices of U.S. Reps. Ana Eshoo, Alex Padilla, and LaFonza Butler).

We have highlighted the need for clean energy permitting reform to speed up approval of transmission lines that move solar and wind energy from where it is produced to where it is needed, without which America cannot meet its climate goals.

Members of parliament are influenced by their constituents. Encourage your constituents to support allowing reforms.

Paula Dantz
Los Altos