Ewing Concerned, Yet Conflicted

To the Editor: It’s unacceptable that the U.S. might have 80,000 to 200,000 CoronaVirus-caused-deaths! It’s also unacceptable to have 20 million infected Americans, four million suffering with serious symptoms, and almost one million hospitalized. Nevertheless, these are Dr. Fauci’s and Dr. Birx’s projections with the current level of mitigation. Obviously that mitigation level is inadequate! We Must Do Better! Americans want to protect ourselves, our families, co-workers, neighbors, doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, and others. We need to know how to better protect everyone, and we need frequent reminders to change lifelong habits. The primary exposure is breathing droplets containing the CoronaVirus into our lungs. …

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Covid-19 and the State’s Booze Biz

To the Editor: I have been deeply concerned about many N.H. policies and actions regarding our response to Covid-19, but the State Liquor Store policy is one of the most dangerous, unjustifiable, and fraught with moral, legal and ethical problems. Some thoughts to consider: 1. What is the State policy if a worker refuses to work under the conditions that the State admits that a worker, “may bear a heightened risk of exposure to and community transmission of Covid-19 to a degree not inherent to the performance of other state services?” Are they fired, placed on leave without pay, asked to take vacation/sick leave, etc? …

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King Trump

Dear Editor: “The state is me,” famously said France’s King Louis XIV—absolute monarch during France’s classical age. His ornate and gold-filigreed style is also the style of President Trump’s New York City penthouse. Trump is attracted to Louis XIV. Now Trump has criticized the Governors of Washington state (Inslee) and Michigan (Whitmer) for not being “appreciative enough” of his late-come efforts against the coronavirus. He’s called it “unpatriotic” to criticize him. He confuses himself with our nation that existed long before him and hopefully will have a life after him. Trump told V.P. Pence “not to call” those two Governors who’ve had too much difficulty …

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We Must Remember This…

To the Editor: If this pandemic has any redeeming value, it’s the reality that the United States needs to adopt some major changes to become a just, healthy, and economically fair society for all of our citizens. Suddenly, issues such as universal healthcare, universal childcare, a $15/hour minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and collaboration across borders seem more important and don’t seem so unrealistic or even unobtainable. I hope we remember this when the pandemic finally comes under control. Judy Ullman Portsmouth, N.H. Judy: Amen. The Editor

Not To Say We Told You So, But…

One year ago we ran a Rant under the headline, “Are We Our Own Sea People?” It noted that, in the Late Bronze Age, the Eastern Mediterranean was home to a whole array of highly developed civilizations living comfortable, stable lives. Then in 1177 BC, it all fell apart: “Orderly, comfortable cities collapsed without the trade which had made them livable. Essentially, the world ended—granted, with enough survivors to scrape by, generation after generation, until they could knit their society together again. “One theory attributes this havoc to the enigmatic, mysterious Sea Peoples. What little we know about them is derived from a few hieroglyphics. …

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This Lent, Think of Primus

The Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, which has earned a reputation for relative enlightenment, decided that each day in Lent this year, beginning Feb. 14th, Ash Wednesday, they would offer a short reading to promote reflection on a person in the African American community who has shaped New Hampshire’s history. Their hope is that those reflections will help the congregation to use Lent as a time to broaden their knowledge, to say prayers in a way that assists in repentence and fosters appreciation of the contributions of those named. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire invited us to write about Primus. Being deeply in …

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