Americans are suffering, especially Blacks. Lives are on the line. Pass the HEROES Act.

Congress must act

In the past 16 weeks, more than 48 million people have filed for unemployment benefits for the first time. Months of inaction from Mitch McConnell and his allies on the HEROES Act, a comprehensive coronavirus response bill, has grown from disappointing to unconscionable.

In the midst of a historical movement for racial justice, we now have evidence that Blacks have been disproportionately affected by coronavirus. The CDC says Blacks are five times more at risk of contracting COVID-19 than whites, exploiting the health consequences of systemic racism. Meanwhile, Black unemployment has more than doubled since April.

With the passage of the HEROES Act, working Americans would receive hazard pay of up to $10,000 for essential workers, 43% of whom are people of color. The bill would allocate $1 billion to community development financial institutions that have historically lent to Black business owners.

We’re running out of time and lives are on the line. Congress, it’s time to act on the HEROES Act.

Denicia Williams,

NC AFL-CIO, vice president

UNC system cuts

Regarding “UNC System discusses COVID, financial challenges,” (July 23):

The UNC System is a vital public good and ought to be protected as such. It’s true that sacrifices must be made in times of crisis. But a 50% cut is not a belt-tightening, it is a dismantling — or at least the first step toward one.

Vague assurances have been made that these cuts will only be triggered in a worst-case scenario. Even if we can blessedly avoid the worst case, it feels naive to believe that these plans will be simply set aside.

As an alumnus of UNC-Chapel Hill, I fear that these proposed cuts will be used as a road map for the defunding of the public university system that has long been one of the crown jewels of our state. Once a chancellor is forced to state that a program or a position is “expendable,” it becomes very difficult to fight for its necessity in the future.

Right now, the chancellors have been given no other choice.

Alex Karsten, Durham

GOP convention

We are so fortunate to have Gov. Roy Cooper at the helm of our state. He stood up to the RNC and the president when they wanted to endanger attendees and citizens in Charlotte at the Republican National Convention by not following CDC guidelines. Now Jacksonville — the fallback site — is having major virus problems. Thank you, governor, for your leadership.

Phyllis Libbey, Raleigh

Right to assemble

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides for three freedoms: religion, press, and expression.

It says people have the right to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. The Black Lives Matter movement is doing just that — asking to be heard. Yet President Trump has sent federal troops to Portland to quell a lawful assembly. Neither Portland nor the state of Oregon asked for the troops.

This action by Trump reminds me of Tiananmen Square. When, oh when, will the Republicans speak up and remember the oath that they took to uphold the Constitution?

Sara Slate, Cary

2020 Election

President Trump has forewarned us that he may not accept the 2020 presidential election results if he is defeated. He has already claimed that massive mail-in voting is subject to fraud and that millions of illegal immigrants voting will shift the election towards Democrats.

Normally, the transfer of power is almost seamless. We can expect this election to be, not just hard-fought and dirty but, likely tied up in court for months.

Trump’s allies even now are attempting to remain in power by restricting voting access and opposing mail-in ballots. Without a clear winner I fear there will be supporters on both sides taking to the streets.

It’s been a long, long time since I’ve protested and marched, but if I have to I’ll take out my heavy-duty wheeled walker and head north towards Washington, D.C.

Bill Krupp, Raleigh

Vaccines

As coronavirus grips the world, we’ve seen many lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another casualty has been a nation of children that is under-immunized as a result of fewer children receiving vaccines, leaving millions at risk for serious disease.

As the world anxiously awaits a vaccine for COVID-19, we are reminded of the power of vaccines to save lives and prevent illness due to measles, whooping cough, polio, influenza, and many other life-threatening diseases.

As this pandemic continues to spread throughout the world, we need to prevent the next pandemic. Vaccines protect the individual, the community, and even the health care systems necessary to fight this unprecedented public health crisis.

In the end, there will be many casualties of COVID-19. We cannot let childhood immunizations and those they protect be one of them.

Jackie Kaufman,

Executive Director, Vaccine Ambassadors

Drs. John Moses, Carolyn Avery, and Eliana Perrin

Duke Children’s Primary Care

This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 11:59 AM.