Mailbag: Is it time to mandate COVID-19 vaccines?

We cannot afford to sit around and find out what the coronavirus will do next.

Children are now becoming infected. Hospitals are no longer able to treat other than emergency health issues because of the time, space and resources consumed by COVID-19. We wanted to keep the little freedom that vaccinations allowed, until we found out that with Delta everyone is now vulnerable — children, vaccinated individuals and essential workers, but all to a much lesser extent than the unvaccinated.

The majority of the adults in our community have spoken by becoming vaccinated, so the majority should decide. Except for children under 12 who cannot be vaccinated, and those suffering from immunodeficiency, the only way to make our community safe is through mandates. Do not let the minority or politicians who are focused on becoming reelected decide for us — the majority. It is time to mandate.

Lynn Lorenz
Newport Beach

Fair race unfair to pigs

While I am thrilled to see people attending the Orange County fairgrounds again, I was disheartened to read about the exploitative practice known as “pig-racing.” The article (No hogwash here! All-Alaskan pigs fly at O.C. fairgrounds, Daily Pilot, Aug. 7) fails to mention the acute intelligence of pigs and conveniently omits what happens to these animals when racing season is over. Follow the money. What kind of owner uses an offensive tagline like “You never Sausage a Show”? Would anyone use a phrase that references dog meat at a dog show? Pigs have about as much interest in running around a course and jumping over fences as cows do. They are curious, inquisitive, clean and love their long naps just like your Golden Retriever does. Is there not enough entertainment at the fair without exploiting piglets? On the other hand, what an opportunity to teach children about where these animals will end up when they have made enough money for the Nolls.

Tracy Keys
Laguna Beach

H.B. council recall motivated by resentment

I always try to take the comments and causes of my fellow residents seriously and at face value. After all, being part of a community should be about listening to others, having a core of shared values and working together in a collective effort to improve the quality of life for all. Unfortunately, the attempt to recall six of seven City Council members is not about bettering our community. This is an effort forged from manufactured grievance and a desire for political retribution, and it lacks even the slightest hint of credibility, good faith or actual desire to benefit Huntington Beach.

It doesn’t take much research or skills in critical thinking to understand this is little more than a political temper tantrum. By simply looking at the stated goal to “restore political and fiscal sanity” and remembering that none of these folks bothered to lift a finger to address the six months of incompetence and citywide embarrassment Tito Ortiz brought to our city is telling. It is also notable in who is excluded, namely Erik Peterson. To say Mr. Peterson’s reign as a council member has been based in “sanity” is almost laughable. From rejecting COVID-19 best practices to late maneuvers aimed at scuttling the development of our H.B. Navigation Center to attempting to strip any mention of the words “green” or “sustainable” from Huntington Beach’s most recent General Plan update, Mr. Peterson’s presence on the council should be characterized as nihilistic rather than anything resembling “conservative.”

I urge all H.B. residents to think long and hard about the credibility of this effort and the potential consequences of going along with this nonsense. Like Tito himself, subjecting our city to a recall would be needlessly divisive and a distraction from the actual work of local governance.

Steve Shepherd
Huntington Beach

Mural thoughts

Re: Future of gray whale mural in Laguna Canyon yet to be decided, Daily Pilot, Aug. 7, I must weigh in. Not only is it art and part of the lore of Laguna Beach, but what better advertisement for a store than to be beside the mural?

Kim Hadj Hamou
Huntington Beach

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