Development in Beaufort County is out of control | Letters

When I moved here in 1980, Hilton Head Island was approaching 10,000 residents, and Bluffton was a sleepy, one-square-mile town with a population of approximately 200.

The headwaters of the Oakatie were considered “pristine.” One rarely heard of closures of shellfish beds due to fecal contamination, other than for heavy rain events or the occasional septic system breakdown.

A constant promise made to the public by Beaufort County Council and Bluffton officials, has been a commitment to protecting our waterways. They are the lifeblood of the community.

But careless disregard for the consequences of development close to these critical watersheds, has put the lie to the multitude of promises made, but not kept.

We can and should have more stringent control over development and its impact locally.

Reduce, don’t increase density. Reduce impervious surfaces. No more clear-cutting for projects, with serious fines for violations. And continue to push for water and sewer hookups where septic systems are still in use, with public funding for heirs properties.

Ban toy guns at local events

If you attended the Hilton Head Oyster Festival, you may have seen small children walking around, pretending to shoot each other with life-sized, brightly-colored, inflatable AR-15 toys.

This event was put on by the Island Rec Center, which does so much good for kids in this area, and that is why I was so appalled to see this happening.

As I walked around the event to find the source of these assault-weapon toys, I discovered them in the kids area, which included multiple bouncy houses and games for kids of all ages. These toy AR-15s were offered as one of the prizes for the games.

The kids zone was presented by an entertainment company based in Bluffton.

I brought the automatic-weapon toys to the attention of a representative from the Island Rec Center. She said “nothing could be done about it in the middle of the event.”

I then called the Island Rec Center to share my concern. The person who answered the phone sounded concerned and said she would notify someone at the festival. I noticed toward the end of the event the inflatable AR-15s were still there, hanging with the other prizes.

Is this the message we want to send to our children? That these assault rifles are a fun toy to play with? I ask that the Island Rec Center and other civic organizations prohibit toy guns at future events. Our children need to understand the gravity of holding a weapon. They should not be treated as toys.

Fired employee shouldn’t testify

Marie Yovanovitch was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Ukraine by a prior administration, the one that offered the Ukrainians blankets when their country was resisting a Russian invasion. President Donald Trump, as is fully his right, as it is for all presidents, chose to replace her as ambassador.

This lady is unhappy about being terminated/fired. Now she testifies against the president. Have you ever heard a former employee wanting to strike back against an employer who fired him or her?

Inconceivable! Only U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff could think that was OK. He is blinded by hatred of Trump, yet he remains the House Intelligence Committee chairman leading the House impeachment inquiry into President Trump.

No excuse to miss key vote

I have a problem with elected officials who do not show up for work. State Sen. Sandy Senn stayed home from work last week and was not able to vote on pending legislation. The Island Packet storyline, “GOP senator under fire for missing abortion ban vote,” outlines her reasons for not participating in her official responsibilities.

The senator stated in a Facebook post that it was Election Day and she missed the session in order to vote in the general election and to be with her son who was out of school that day.

I don’t care whether Senn is a Republican, Democrat or Independent. I don’t care how she would have voted on the issue. I do care that she should be present at the state Senate to represent the people of her district who voted her into office.

Senn had options regarding voting and providing care for her son. Her opponent in the 2020 election cycle said the people of her district were shortchanged by her missing an important vote in the Senate. He is absolutely correct.

Motivational speaker, the late Jim Rohn, once said, “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”

Why do they support Trump?

Given President Donald Trump’s abominable personal behavior, surely no one backs him on the basis of character. So why does anyone support Trump?

Because of a booming economy? It is old knowledge that a big tax cut and deficit spending generate an economic high. When President Barack Obama proposed that approach to fight the Great Recession in 2009, Republicans in Congress unanimously shouted “No,” but today they celebrate the boom and ignore the deficit.

Because of Trump’s court appointments? His right-wing judges will undermine a woman’s right to choose, and some zealots may celebrate that oppression. But those same judges will prioritize corporate profits over the environment and over workers. They also will rule that money is speech, thereby choking elections with corporate cash.

Because of Trump’s promise to surround himself with the “best people?” Trump has appointed corporate lobbyists, the embodiment of corrupt interests, to most key positions for the economy and the environment. For the other policy areas, every credible advisor has abandoned Trump’s ship.

Because of Trump’s infrastructure initiative? Or his health care proposal? Both are MIA.

Because of Trump’s promotion of Russia’s geopolitical interests? Oh wait, he has done that one.

Because of unthinking Republican tribal loyalty? Maybe that’s the motive: loyalty to a man who exhibits none. This blind partisanship even excuses Trump’s clearly-documented obstruction of justice in his Russian entanglement and his Ukrainian quid pro quo, where he warped our foreign policy to gain an underhanded domestic political advantage.

Or could the reason be Trump’s racist remarks?

How about some other recusals?

A writer suggests U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham recuse himself from any Senate Judiciary Committee matter concerning President Donald Trump. That’s because he claimed Graham has already prejudged the president’s innocence in public statements. My recollection is Graham simply said that he sees no grounds for impeachment at this time.

Speaking of recusals, shouldn’t Democratic Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Dick Durbin, Kirsten Hildebrand, Richard Blumenthal and Mazie Hirono recuse themselves from any Judiciary hearings on the qualifications of future Supreme Court justices since they recently wrote a totally malicious and unfounded brief to the Supreme Court, warning the Republican-appointed judges on the pending case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. City of New York?

For sitting senators to gratuitously interject themselves into a pending legal case for political reasons is not only outrageous but should be the subject of ethics complaints against them. Their public bias should disqualify them from sitting in judgment of future Supreme Court nominees.

And should not Democratic Sens. Chris Murphy, Durbin, Patrick Leahy, and Bob Menendez recuse themselves on any impeachment trial of Trump because they wrote to the Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky just recently and all but threatened no further U.S. aid if the Ukraine did not investigate possible corruption with Trump and not investigate possible corruption concerning Hunter Biden?

What divides the country is when our opinions only apply to the other political side. If we throw stones, we have to apply the same standards to all politicians from whatever party they are affiliated.

Mark Sanford was never in it

Mark Sanford drops out of presidential race.

You have to be kidding. He was never in it! How egotistical. Now he will have plenty of time to spend walking the trails of the Southeast.

This story was originally published November 17, 2019 at 1:02 PM with the headline "Development in Beaufort County is out of control | Letters."