Six Butner inmates have died. COVID-19 is making jails and prisons into death traps.

Prison deaths

A sixth coronavirus death has occurred at the Butner Federal Prison. This time, a 73-year old man serving 20 years on a marijuana distribution charge - William Walker Minto - died despite the prison knowing he had a pre-existing medical condition.

His death was tantamount to an execution for a nonviolent crime.

Why wasn’t he furloughed in light of his medical condition? There is no way to be socially distant in jails and prisons. They are death traps for the vulnerable.

The U.S., with 2.3 million people under lock and key, has the highest incarceration rates in the world, and the vast majority of those are in prison for nonviolent crimes.

Prisoners have a right to live and a right to protection from the coronavirus. Our mistreatment of “the least of these” is sinful and unconscionable.

Patrick O’Neill, Garner

McCory’s foresight

States across the country are taking a financial hit because of COVID-19. But many states like New York and Illinois were on financial life support long before COVID-19. North Carolina certainly can’t escape the pandemic’s fiscal stress, but fortunately it’s better prepared to weather the storm.

An April 2017 Moody’s Investor Service Report praised North Carolina for its “credit positive” status. Ironically, four years earlier the state was in a deep dark $2.7 billion hole. Fast forward to April 2020, and N.C. has a $3.9 billion unemployment reserve, $1.1 billion in savings,and as of February 2020 the rainy day fund had a balance of $1.2 billion.

Fortunately, former Gov. Pat McCrory and leaders of the N.C. House and Senate had the guts to pass budgets that made fiscal sense. When the COVID-19 threat fades, North Carolinians will owe a debt of thanks for McCrory’s foresight. Ironically, Gov. Roy Cooper, who campaigned against McCrory’s fiscal policy, now benefits from it.

James Patterson, Greensboro

ReOpen protesters

ReOpenNC is well-intentioned but misguided and potentially dangerous. I believe everyone is sympathetic to the individuals and families suffering financial hardships because of the shutdown. Yet, the mob behavior of ReOpenNC is just wrong.

Heckling “first-responders” who are silently present at these “rallies” is wrong. They face tremendous health risks to protect us. Forcing police to stand guard at protests distracts them from other, more important duties. ReOpenNC protesters are just making a bad situation much worse.

Like millions of others, I want to again enjoy dining out, sporting events, and just getting my haircut. Yet, I willingly forego these pleasures for the safety of my family — and yours.

I truly understand the difficulty many are facing, but I oppose ReOpenNC because it is both shortsighted and dangerously naive.

Ken Gorman, Durham

Joe Biden

Where is Joe Biden? As our country’s health, economic and constitutional crisis continues, Biden seems to be carefully guarding his place as the preemptive Democratic candidate for president.

As progressive Democrats call for a stronger safety net for citizens, including better health care, justice and economic equality, Biden moves quietly towards the center and towards the old guard National Democratic Committee. I am unaware of Joe saying anything about the crisis of the U.S. Postal Service or the dominance of big corporations securing federal monies meant to support all of us during this crisis.

I am reminded of another Democratic hopeful who played it safe and turned her back on the progressive wing of the party, only to lose the election. While many of us — like last time — will hold our noses and vote for Joe, I fear this will not be enough to win the election.

Janie Freeman, Chapel Hill

A fix for shortages

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted how tenuous our reliance on foreign manufactures is even with the most critical medical products. The overseas provider networks have their own problems which has led to dangerous shortages with terrible consequences. We’ve run short of face masks and shields, medical gowns, the raw materials from medicines, and life-saving equipment. If we learn anything for this tragic failing, we must reliably source and stockpile strategic materials and retain American manufacturing of critical equipment. These critical choices must be constantly revised by experts and not be political or profit driven.

Bill Krupp, Raleigh

Stimulus checks

My mother just received her $1,200 stimulus check signed by Donald Trump. The problem is she died two and a half years ago. The kicker is the cover letter, also signed by Donald Trump, is addressed to Elizabeth M. Royce deceased! I can only conclude that the president knows he’s sending these checks to dead people.

Christopher Royce, Raleigh