Who would destroy Hilton Head beach sculptures? | Letters
Every year about this time a gentleman that I call the “itinerant sculptor” arrives on the Sea Pines beach and creates a series of sand sculptures.
This year, his first two sculptures addressed the coronavirus crisis.
On following days, one or two more would appear.
Today, they were all gone!
Piles of sand remained in their place. Who did this deliberate act?
The sculptor was there this morning, surrounded by a group of incredulous admirers. He said he had been there till 11:30 p.m. the night before. Who was there waiting till he left?
His profound comment, “I would have preferred they were taken by Mother Nature!”
So sad!
Betsy Kunkle
Hilton Head Island
Media, why not simply tell the whole story?
Random thoughts on another day in quarantine:
Congressman Adam Schiff has been telling the nation since 2017 that he had documented proof of Russian collusion in the 2016 election. In fact, he was often quoted as saying, “It is hiding in plain sight.”
It’s sad that a politician, with considerable influence, can get away with being a congenital liar for almost three years. It’s even sadder that our lapdog media let him get away with it. These are the same folks who promote their political ideology under the banner of being “journalists.” I thought journalists were charged with seeking the truth. When did they stop teaching that in journalism school?
As the debate rages to open the economy or not, it struck me that most of the people in favor of shutting the country down for the foreseeable future are all gainfully employed and receiving their regular stipend. Would their perspective be any different if their paycheck was held, and they were facing the same economic tsunami as so many Americans?
I believe that the one failing in the reporting of the pandemic has been the media’s inability, or unwillingness, to keep the numbers in context. In some corners, it seems that the reporters were only too gleeful to report the increasing numbers, as if their intent was to frighten/scare their readers/viewers. The old adage in the news business of, “If it bleeds, it leads” is alive and well in modern media. Why not simply tell the whole story?
Kevin Baruth
Bluffton
Manafort and meat plant workers: These two cases unfair and unequal
In April, the president invoked the War Powers Act to pressure meat packing plants to reopen after several closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks, and 10,000 meat packing workers and their friends and family have contracted the virus.
Many have died.
Hundreds of USDA meat plant inspectors have also fallen ill with the virus and four have died.
Still, the administration and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue say it’s safe for the plants to reopen despite no strict safety measures having been put in place and despite opposition from the meat packers and their union.
I doubt any of the workers care that Perdue referred to them as “patriotic and heroic” for keeping America and our meat-loving president in beef while knowing they have twice the average risk of contracting COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager who was convicted of money laundering, tax fraud, illegal foreign lobbying and defrauding banks, has been released from jail. He will be allowed to serve out the rest of his sentence at home because of concerns that he might contract the virus in prison.
There’s something very wrong with this picture. That’s my beef!
Caren Ross
Beaufort
Historical perspective: We’re shooting ourselves in the foot
We grew up in the pre-antibiotic 1930s, when there was no expectation of medical miracles only months away, and the main epidemic control was quarantine of infected households. Nevertheless, life and business continued apace.
Over breakfast recently, we tabulated more than 20 epidemic diseases then extant.
Our two families were often affected.
One father dead at 48 with tuberculosis, one mother overcame polio, one brother survived diphtheria and one brother plus both of us experienced measles, mumps, and chicken pox. We avoided small pox, scarlet fever, and cholera.
Today, the world is seriously harming economic activity and the education of the largely invulnerable young in hopes of an imminent medical miracle to vanquish an epidemic that infects less than 10% of the population and kills less than 10% of the infected.
Seems to us all that is needed is protection of the vulnerable elderly, meaning us!
For the rest, let’s stop shooting ourselves in the foot while awaiting a perfect medical solution.
Don and Wendy Kennedy
Hilton Head Island
‘Bizarro World’: Reopening needs courtesy, common sense
As restaurants and shops open, it would be nice if a corresponding equality of reality came with it.
I had lunch outside at a favorite place and the waitress kept the same pair of gloves on as she handled numerous people’s plates.
In the supermarket, the cashier is behind a plastic shield then steps away to bag groceries. The aisles are one-way, making you think if someone sneezes in the frozen food aisle and you are in “fruits and vegetables” you’re safe.
In the post office, the clerks are wearing masks, have a “sneeze shield” on the counter and there is a plastic sheet hanging between all that and customers. If someone does sneeze in the back of the post office where PO boxes are, or anywhere else in there, in six minutes it will get cycled through the air conditioning and they’ll be breathing it anyway.
The masks nearly all people are wearing are totally useless against virus-size pathogens. The bandanna masks are the ultimate joke.
If people would stop watching TV and stop listening to so-called experts who have no relevant background and just exercise some courtesy and common sense, we’d be better off.
As an engineer, infectious disease scientist and consultant to WHO and a dozen foreign countries, including China, I feel like I’m living in the Bizarro World.
Arthur V. Martin
Bluffton
Election 2020: This is no time to change horses
By now most Americans are aware of the fact that we have two imperfect candidates for President. One whose favorite word is “I” and the other who, sadly without a teleprompter, can hardly put two sentences together without tripping over his tongue.
However, unless the Democrats unleash a surprise for us at their nominating convention, the candidates will be Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Meaning that the America voter has to make a choice of one or the other.
Most Democrats would rather kiss a pig than vote for Trump. However, in spite of his brashness he has accomplished a great deal in his first three plus years. The list of accomplishments is over 300. In doubt? “Google” it. Biden, on the other hand, even as a Senator, has had few successes. He has had a number of miscues, including using his office for personal gain and frequently accused of inappropriately touching women.
And, according to investigations now going on with regard to the Michael Flynn affair, it is even possible that Biden could be indicted for criminal activity. While Republicans might call that sweet irony, Americans have had enough of impeachments.
History has taught us that during difficult times (i.e. coronavirus) it is unwise to change horses in the middle of the stream and we have seldom done so.
Please vote of the basis of who would be the best president in leading the county, and not based on just feelings. A vote is a terrible thing to waste. Please choose wisely.
Tom Hatfield
Hilton Head Island
How would you compare Trump’s pandemic record?
Your recent op-ed “Can the Republican Party survive Trump’s virus debacle?” was an interesting piece. But it leaves me with a question. I.e., How did previous presidents handle “coronavirus pandemics”?
George Carmody
Hilton Head Island
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