Visit Florida
Re “Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of ‘hostile’ laws” (May 22): The travel advisory from the NAACP warning tourists that “Florida lawmakers are ‘openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals’” seems inflammatory, mean-spirited and unnecessary. Tourists in Florida are not likely to be affected by the new laws on abortion, school teachings, or gender-affirming care for minors. Allowing Floridians to carry concealed weapons without a permit is something both visitors and residents need to be aware of. Locals who work in the tourist industry know that being welcoming, polite and respectful to everyone is important for their livelihoods. Tourists are not likely to encounter any of those hostile lawmakers. Take your kids to Disney World and enjoy your vacation.
Betty Arehart, Virginia Beach
Be real
Re “The possible disaster of climate change fear” (Other Views, May 21): I was baffled by the guest column by Jay Ambrose. So we should stop being afraid of climate change, and just build some “embankments” to handle the flooding from it? Hampton Roads residents need only to look at a map of our region to realize that won’t fix the problem.
On a deeper level, it is important for us to understand that not everyone on our planet has air conditioning. Science is telling us that climate change will result in billions of humans in Africa, India and South America facing temperatures and humidity levels so high that their bodies simply cannot survive. Ambrose of course does not live there, so it is not a problem for him.
I suggest that we should get our climate news from writers willing to talk to a scientist before reaching for their keyboard. Meanwhile, fear can be a useful emotion if it drives us to seek solutions. My favorite solution is a price on carbon with a carbon dividend and a carbon tariff. What’s yours?
Viewpoints
Chris Wiegard, Chester
Remove him
So, Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s chief diversity officer thinks diversity, equity and inclusion is dead. So how long will Youngkin continue to pay him $160,000? He does not believe in his work and obviously does not understand why it is necessary.
Laurie Naismith, Norfolk
Russian invasion
Re “Russian media laud Bakhmut news” (May 23): How pathetic it was to read that Russian media equate the capture of Bakhmut, Ukraine, with the Soviet capture of Berlin in 1945. The two are different. The capture of Berlin occurred due to Germany’s invasion of Russia. It avenged the vicious behavior of the Germans toward the Russians. Soviets destroyed Berlin, properly crushed the Third Reich, and with their allies, divided the vanquished enemy into two countries to keep it weak and unable to threaten the Russian people again.
The Ukrainians were never a threat to the Russians. They are not the invaders in the ongoing war between them and the Russians. The Russians are the invaders, destroying Ukrainian cities because Ukraine exists as an independent democratic state. The capture of Berlin in 1945 should be a source of pride for the Russian people. The invasion of Ukraine and the massive destruction of Bakhmut should be a source of shame.
In the same article, there is a glimpse of what may come about in the aftermath of this conflict. Ukrainian officials said, partisan groups made up of Russian dissidents attacked Belgorod inside Russia. It is not hard to imagine these groups developing into terrorist guerillas. Then the war will be even less like the Soviet’s part of World War II and more like America’s part in the Vietnam War.
Steve Bailey, Richmond