Ban big trucks through Bluffton during rush hour
Why must large trucks go through Bluffton during peak traffic hours?
By a large truck, I mean those with more than 10 wheels, but especially those with 18 wheels.
In the morning and afternoon rush hours, normal automobile traffic on U.S. 278 is bumper-to-bumper, either not moving or creeping along very slowly. And here comes a huge truck, ready to make a bad situation worse by being slow and cumbersome. Not only do these trucks have large “blind-spots,” but they create road hazards by dangerously congesting a crowded roadway.
Tractor trailer traffic does not belong on our town roads during rush hours. To make matters more aggravating, some truck drivers believe that it is OK to place their behemoths in the far left lane, thereby slowing traffic even more. Quite often, they are exacerbating a safety hazard.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “about one in 10 deaths on the highways is the result of a crash involving a large truck.” And one of the most common causes of a truck accident is “loss of control of the truck.” Not a very comforting thought as we travel along U.S. 278 during rush hour.
I understand all the good things trucks bring to our society, but everything has its time and place. Restricting truck traffic during certain hours is a simple solution, but as Steve Jobs said: “Simplicity is the ultimate solution.”
Clifton Jester
Bluffton
Separate policy from the people of Palestine
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar is against the policies of Israel that hurt Palestinians, not against the Jewish people. Thousands in other countries may be against our foreign policies, but they don’t hate us as people.
I’ve held a sympathy for Palestinians since I was a member of the International Studies Club in high school. In 1955, a Palestinian told our club that when Israel was about to be a country in 1948 the people came to their homes and told them they had 24 hours to leave, and they could only take what they could carry. Years, centuries of history destroyed, lives torn apart as they began to be people without a country. The Palestinian State is still not recognized as a country by the United States.
My favorite actor, Ed Asner, is Jewish, but like some other Jewish people, he does not approve of the way the Palestinians are treated. We must separate policy from people.
I have friends who have lived in the West Bank, and they tell me that the way the Palestinians are treated is horrid. It is only natural that a new Congresswoman who knows how the Palestinians live would want to fight for their rights. That does not mean she is anti-Semitic, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should explain that on TV so the controversy against Congresswoman Omar would cease.
Congress should consider what can be done for the Palestinians, as people, and recognize their state as a country. A bill of non-hate is nice, but not near enough.
Fran B. Reed
Hilton Head Island
‘Socialism’ being misused by politicians and media
And so it starts. Political season has already begun again. The word “socialism” is being used erroneously once again by politicians and the media as a buzzword.
The word “socialism” literally means government ownership of industry and all levers of power in a country. Let’s refer back to October 1952 and hear what President Harry Truman had to say about this:
“Socialism is what they called public power, socialism is what they called Social Security, socialism is what they called farm price supports, socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance, socialism is what they called growth of free and independent labor organizations.
“Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.”
Sheila Garvey
Hilton Head Island
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This story was originally published March 27, 2019 at 1:25 PM.