Seeking the right answer

As an Independent voter (because I agree with some issues by each party, and I disagree with some issues by each party), I have asked my Democratic friends if they watched the Congressional speech. I was curious as to what they thought about the actions, or inactions, of the Democrats at that meeting.

With a resounding and unanimous “NO, I CAN’T STAND TO WATCH OR HEAR THAT MAN!” I then asked how do you know what you would be for or against regarding his agenda?

Their response was, “I get all my news from CNN or the Washington Post.”

Because of some incredulous statements by the President, I decided that I needed to start watching Fox News to get its take on all this. It is surprising what both stations choose to report on and not report on, and even the angle taken on the same news issue.

With that being said, and with all the intolerance going on, maybe it might be nice to ease up on all the hatred against all Republicans and be open-minded enough to at least give it a try.

Also, I would really like to know your take on justifying shooting up Tesla showrooms and torching Tesla charging stations across the country … or maybe you don’t know anything about that.

As John F. Kennedy said, “Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer.”

— Beverly Bien, Boulder

Compassionate change needed to visa process

Refugees undergo years-long vetting to enter the U.S. legally, but they still face inhumane barriers to lawful entry. To wit: A doctor conducting an initial health screening of a mother and nine of her ten children, refugees who recently arrived in the U.S. from Afghanistan, relayed the following.

The mother’s husband and father of the ten had worked in construction for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, with a guarantee that after his service he and his family would be given visas to come to America and granted a path to citizenship. In 2021, when the U.S.-backed government collapsed and the Taliban took over, he had to choose between staying in Afghanistan to be imprisoned or fleeing to the U.S. He fled and was told that his family would follow shortly.

The mother had never been to school, never worked outside her home, knew no language but Pashto. Yet it was more than three years before the paperwork that allowed her and her children to join their father was finalized. During that time, she and all ten children were vetted, medically screened, accorded visas and told to wait in line.

So they waited, and in waiting, the eldest child advanced in age until she was no longer a minor, no longer considered a member of her father’s family. Not knowing this, when the family’s turn finally came to catch the transport out of Afghanistan, U.S. authorities told them that the eldest daughter could not go with them. The daughter is unmarried, uneducated, and now living in Afghanistan without protection, family, or home. The father is being told that it is impossible to bring his eldest daughter to the U.S., and that if things do not change, they probably will never see each other again.

— Cora Randall, Boulder

Too bad for our schools

So now Tesla Dealerships are being protected by Police and SWAT teams! Too bad we can’t get the same protection for our schools!

— Carl Heck, Aspen

Silence from Governor Polis

Hey Governor Polis, where are you? Are you as happy about the federal government cuts as you are having RFK being ahead of the Health and Human Services? I hear nothing from you.

— Art Hirsch, Boulder