Those who rush to blame Trump for the pandemic are forgetting American history

On COVID-19, history

A recent letter writer accused President Donald Trump of “presiding over the greatest single-event loss of life in American history.” But while the letter writer is entitled to his opinion, he’s not entitled to his own facts — and the fact is he doesn’t know American history.

In May 1918 mass deaths began to occur in Spain while our American troops were “over there” helping to win World War I, and they eventually brought the disease home to America.

According to Stanford researchers, 675,000 people died of “Spanish Flu” in the United States during the second half of 1918.

That’s right.

That’s three times the number of people who have died so far from COVID-19 in the United States — and the US population in 1918 was nowhere near what ours is today.

In 1918 the president was Woodrow Wilson, and even though Wilson was a Democrat who sent Americans to fight overseas, nobody said that he had “presided over” the deaths of the troops who were killed. That’s because, historically speaking, Republicans aren’t into making irrational accusations.

My family was right in the middle of that plague, and the letter writer’s family probably was, too.

We are in the same situation almost exactly 100 years later.

M.B. Spears, Florence

On Parris Island

I have twice served at Parris Island, and what that facility has meant to the military community —and the economic impact it has had on the surrounding area — has been integral to our state and nation for decades.

And Beaufort has always given its strong support to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island since it was established in 1915.

I know that the focus of our armed forces, especially the Marines, should be on winning battles and not on drifting into social experiments. Close combat is not a computer game, and taxpayers pay their hard-earned money for a well-trained fighting machine.

There is absolutely no good reason to close Parris Island and move its function to another location.

Parris Island must be saved!

There is no place in America, geographically or topographically, that is better-suited to train Marines for the rugged combat they almost certainly will face during their careers

All of us in the Lowcountry should rally ‘round the Parris Island flag and notify everyone in government and the military of the immense training value that Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island has for our nation.

God bless each of you — and “Semper Fi!”

Retired Maj. Gen. James Livingston, Mount Pleasant

On the Republicans

I could not support a Republican candidate this time around for three reasons:

▪ The Republican Party does not believe in science.

▪ The Republican Party disparages scientists who warn of global warming and its consequences, urge us to follow the protocols necessary during this pandemic and point out the devastation that could potentially occur from offshore oil drilling.

▪ The Republican Party does not believe in democracy.

The Republicans are the ones who have perfected the practice of gerrymandering voting districts to favor their party — so much so that my vote does not really count in local. state or national elections.

I live on St. Helena Island at the end of a road which has been cut off and included in a city district for local elections — but in a Charleston district for state and national elections (as are Fripp and Dataw islands).

In addition Republicans are far more accepting of the collateral damage that is caused by our laws and measures than I am. Some examples of this collateral damage include:

▪ The children who have been separated from their families at our border with Mexico to discourage further efforts by their families to seek asylum.

▪ The high numbers of people — most of them older Americans like me— who will die from the coronavirus if we open public areas too soon.

▪ The victims of gun violence carried out by those who own automatic weapons that do not require training or licensing.

I favor voting a straight Democratic ticket in the November elections.

Anne Pollitzer, St. Helena Island