Reader fears Canadian leadership tactics demonstrate retribution rather than justice

Justice not retribution

When I recall the freedom marchers of the 60s, the horrific images of high pressure water cannons and mounted police wielding billy clubs are indelibly imprinted in my memory. The ensuing public outcry forced authoritarian leaders to resort to our justice system by arresting lawbreakers.

When Martin Luther King was arrested, we can debate whether that process was fair, but at least he had his day in court.

The similarities in Canada are glaringly obvious. Cancelled insurance and freezing bank accounts are authoritative retribution, not justice.

If a truck is blocking the road, tow it. The owner can pay a reasonable fine and tow charge.

If someone is breaking the law, arrest them and let the courts decide what punishment is deserved.

A democratic society should not allow punishment to be inflicted on its citizens by police or authoritarian leaders.

It is incumbent upon all of us to demand that democratic principles of fairness and justice be upheld. Everyone deserves their day in court.

Michael Mascovitz, Surfside

Where’s sportsmanship?

Two recent high school playoff basketball scores got my attention.

One was a 109-19 score and another was 101-17. Both were female athletes’ scores.

There used to be an “unwritten rule” that you did not humiliate an opponent. This is easily done by playing the “ end “ of your bench and backing off into a soft zone defense once the game is decided.

Evidently the winning coaches of these games did not adhere to this type of sportsmanship. They should be reprimanded or even fired for allowing their teams to embarrass an opponent in this way. It certainly does not speak positively of their coaching ability. In fact, it says the exact opposite.

You won because you simply had superior talent and nothing to do with your abilities as a coach.

I know the response here is “Oh, that’s the way we play” or “It’s their job to stop us, “ etc. Nonsense. It’s your job as a coach to show a level of sportsmanship!

The S.C. High School League also shares the blame for expanding the playoffs to the point of inviting this type of scoring.

Roger Bazen, Coward

Election Day is coming

For decades, the S.C. General Assembly has neglected the most basic responsibilities of government. The result: crumbling roads and bridges, garbage strewn highways, unequal access to quality public education, some of the worst health care outcomes in the country, inadequate public transportation, over development that exacerbates flooding and traffic congestion, persistent poverty and homelessness.

A windfall of revenues from the economic recovery and federal infrastructure and pandemic aid has given the legislature a unique opportunity to invest in the state’s future.

The legislature and the governor are, instead, pretending job growth will magically solve all of the above problems; spending their time and our money providing benefits to higher income taxpayers who need it the least, promising one-time tax rebate bonuses that will do nothing to address the long term well-being of South Carolinians.

Instead they are devising ways to take away tools for effectively addressing the next pandemic, tackling problems that don’t exist (e.g. the teaching of critical race theory) in order to motivate core voters, and manipulating district lines to ensure re-election.

This shameless dereliction of duty to serve all South Carolinians is a product of Republican control. The only remedy is available on Election Day.

Philip Jos, Charleston

Politics erodes S.C.

The daily headlines in South Carolina newspapers continue to amaze me.

Do the politicians read newspapers?

Jails in despicable conditions with guards working triple time because pay is so low they can’t entice more. Our state at the bottom of the nation in education with teachers so underpaid we can’t keep the classrooms staffed.

Have you noticed when driving on I-95 how the interstate deteriorates when entering South Carolina?And how there are so many homeless due to the lack of mental health facilities?

And these politicians are talking about lowering taxes?

In spite of what Reagan said, government is not always the problem.

Could it be the politicians? Come on folks, get real.

Katharine DuV. Beard, Camden