Don’t be misled by a loud but small group protesting life-saving stay-at-home orders

Don’t be misled

Don’t be misled by the loud but tiny minority protesting the life-saving orders of Gov. Roy Cooper and Wake County. This “grassroots” movement is purportedly funded and driven by groups like Americans for Prosperity and other right-wing groups. While the protesters complain about not being able to get haircuts, real North Carolinians are buckling down and dealing with the crisis. They work in hospitals, they continue to work essential jobs, they work from home when they can. They struggle to deal with - or help their neighbors deal with - unemployment and social isolation.

The quiet majority understands what needs to be done. We know what we are doing hurts, but is necessary. We understand that we have to help our neighbors - not stand in the street with no mask and shout at police.

John D. Burns, Raleigh

Religious restrictions

Wake County’s newly revised stay-at-home order inequitably singles out religious gatherings with harsher restrictions than other daily activities.

Under this proclamation, I can legally go to any restaurant or state ABC store, make a purchase, legally give money, receive a paper receipt and accept food and/or drink. Yet, I cannot go to church and give a tithe, receive a bulletin, or partake of communion.

This proclamation attempts to take away several of our inalienable rights. These are rights protected by (not given but protected) by both the U.S. and N.C. constitutions.

Roger Boutin, Raleigh

Too early to reopen

To all the “Reopeners” out there, I understand your frustration. But the worst thing we can do is rush to reopen too soon. North Carolina has one of the lowest infection rates on the East Coast because Gov. Roy Cooper took early action. We flattened our curve, but the coronavirus is still out there. Reopen now and risk a second wave worse than the first.

What good is opening businesses if staff and customers get sick in a week? We must all ask ourselves: Is the risk really worth our loved-ones’ lives.

Paul Andrews, Durham

Banks must act

In this time of pandemic turbulence I am calling on all credit card issuing banks to immediately suspend credit card interest rates. Charging 20-plus% on credit card balances is not acceptable during a pandemic when the Fed dropped bank interest rates to 0%.

Banks should do this voluntarily, but if they do not then our legislature should classify it as profiteering during a national emergency. It doesn’t make sense for the federal government to give stimulus checks to citizens while those same citizens are paying 20% interest to banks on balances incurred because of job losses due to necessary government business shutdowns.

Banks, do the right thing.

Peter Mamuzic, Pinehurst

Climate change

COVID-19 has shown the amazing willingness of the vast majority of Americans to sacrifice to protect their health and the health of others. It has taught us about our capacity to change and work together.

Let’s learn from COVID-19 to address our next challenge – climate change. Voluntarily doing without helps reduce emissions, but is not sufficient, nor is it a long-term strategy. Investing in clean energy and infrastructure that is resilient to climate change is. And the timing is perfect as Congress looks for ways to employ workers and revive the economy.

Solar and wind energy currently employ more Americans than coal, with tremendous potential to grow since costs have dropped dramatically. We can also invest in electricity transmission to bring renewable energy where we need it - build electric vehicle charging stations, modernize transportation for when we’re rolling again, plan homes and cities to better withstand the next storm.

As we observe the 50th Earth Day from home, let’s learn from our COVID-19 experience and use our energy, creativity, civic engagement – and the next economic stimulus – to address our next big challenge.

Jason West

Environmental Sciences and Engineering professor, UNC-Chapel Hill

Decisive leadership

Marc Thiessen’s April 19 op-ed column concluded that Taiwan did a much better job of addressing the dangers of a the COVID-19 pandemic than China did because Taiwan is a free society. If only our country had been as decisive as the Taiwanese in finding all carriers of the disease coming into our country, tracking them, isolating them, and stopping the spread so effectively.

Taiwan also shows that informed and decisive leadership is critical to ensure we have the necessary supplies and procedures in place quickly and underscores that when leadership ignores the problem, lies about it, and tries to avoid responsibility the result is much worse.

Peter van Dorsten, Raleigh