If you have a heart, wear a mask

Dear Editor,

When it comes to the issue of people refusing to wear a mask to slow down spread of the coronavirus, it’s nothing new.

Going back to the Old Testament, there was a man named Noah. For 120 years, he preached to the people that a great flood was coming. None paid him any attention. Why should we? Ain’t no such a thing as rain! Not a single soul saved, except Noah, his wife, three sons and their wives, along with the animals that were on the ark.

Until the late 19th century, when people were admitted to the hospital for surgery, 50 percent would die, although the operation was a success. Doctors didn’t believe in something called germs. You couldn’t see them, couldn’t prove at that time they existed. So why listen to those who tried to warn them? They refused to wash their filthy hands or have sterile surroundings. Many innocents died because of stubbornness.

Many years ago, the law said you must wear a seatbelt. Yet till this day, there are those who won’t wear one. Don’t need one, nah, we’ll be all right. In the old days, there were people who didn’t trust banks. The stock market crash in ‘29 was the causes of mistrust in most cases. There still are some who carry large amounts of money on themselves. Never think of being robbed.

There will always, no matter the threat, be those who won’t believe, even if the Black Death returned. Won’t believe, that is, until they come down with the virus or get robbed and maybe lose their lives before they’ll believe. People who don’t want to wear a mask forget it might not be them who comes down with the virus. It could be a loved one they’ve carried it into. For the sake of the innocent, wear a mask. If you have a heart, then wear one.

Eddie Boggs

Westminster

Listen to teachers

Dear Editor,

Students and teachers are nervous about returning to school. Without direction from our state and federal governments, school systems and universities are facing tough decisions.

In South Carolina, our school system has been underfunded for many years. Classrooms have tissues and hand sanitizer only thanks to parents bringing them in as school supplies. As schools will need even more safety supplies like masks in the coming year, is the state (and county governments) willing to fund the purchase of masks, tissues for running noses and the additional cleaning supplies?

Teachers are already working well beyond the school day to plan, grade and provide student support. Can teachers, who are already buying supplies with their personal dollars and giving extra time, truly be asked to clean each desk, crayon and doorknob, plan both online instruction and in-person instruction, and assist children and families who are sick with COVID or facing a crisis due to reduced or lost family income?

Teachers are superheroes and go above and beyond every day of the school year. Janitors, bus drivers and cooks form important relationships with children and provide critical services. These adult staff include many who are over 65, have chronic conditions and may live with someone who is immune-compromised. Their needs need to be considered when school systems make decisions about the fall.

Opening school without a plan to keep everyone safe, a plan to pay hazard pay to those who deserve it and a plan to compensate teachers and staff for the extra work they will have to do is simply irresponsible, if not infeasible. I urge school systems to listen to teachers now as they make important decisions regarding school re-opening.

Eunice Lehmacher

S.C. House District 3 candidate

Clemson

People need to be savvy about lives

Dear Editor,

No black has written a biography on a president. Blacks have the least number of people registered to vote for a race. Blacks are aloof in a political system that has given all races the most opportunity in history. Blacks should be concerned about politics more because it is a reason every native-born American are citizens.

I was the first black social media director for a presidential campaign. I managed the S.C. Students for Rick Perry social media page for his 2012 presidential campaign.

Social media tries to encourage blacks to get into politics more, but they don’t follow through with public figures and vote as actively as they need to. This is part of the reason why blacks don’t get what they want from politicians, and it’s because they don’t research their candidates properly.

Blacks vote along racial lines more than any other race, but expect an unbiased system. The presidents were the ones who enacted civil liberties that people benefit from.

If we are truly going to be a great nation for centuries to come, people need to be information savvy about the affairs in their daily lives.

Jordan Cooper

Summerville