Hurricane Dorian-torn Bahamas need Volusia, Flagler aid | LETTERS

Pass on supplies

Most of us are sitting on a nice selection of hurricane relief items that some would be happy to pack up and donate to those in need. Let's hope this idea takes hold because we'd love to help. Thankful for our luck and let's pay it forward.

Donna Wrono, New Smyrna Beach

[Hurricane Dorian: Volusia relief efforts focus on Bahamas]

Don't glorify guns

Cigarettes once killed hundreds of times more Americans than guns did, yet deaths from cigarette smoking have been greatly reduced without banning cigarettes. Advertisers, movies, and T.V. dramas once convinced audiences that smoking is dashing, romantic, and attractive. Government-sponsored reality advertisements, not bans or confiscation, shattered this silly image of smoking and saved many, many lives.

Today advertisers, special interest groups and the media portray guns and gun battles as exciting, daring, and heroic. Advertisers, T.V., movies and media coverage need to stop glorifying gunfights and gunmen: instead show the public the reality of the squalid people who shoot their fellow citizens and debunk the romance and thrill of shooting one another.

Philip Ewanicki, South Daytona

Democrats' aims

Aided by a liberal media, far left Democrat presidential contenders are relying on the three R's of "Russia, recession, and racism" to delegitimize Donald Trump's presidency and weaken his candidacy in 2020. Although the nearly $30 million Mueller report was a dud, House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler is issuing subpoenas with abandon to advance formal impeachment proceedings against the president. However, the impending Department of Justice Inspector General's report may dampen his enthusiasm.

Inexplicably, the media and Democrat candidates seem to be pushing for recession at some point in the future despite our current robust economy, strong consumer confidence, and the lowest unemployment rates in 50 years. Why would Democrats be rooting against prosperity to defeat the president? Is our strong economy acceptable collateral damage to the Green New Deal, Medicare for All, elimination of private health insurance, higher taxes, and serious problems associated with socialist policies?

Failing to demoralize our society with Russia collusion, recession and ideological rhetoric, Democrats irresponsibly fall back to the default issues of racism and identity politics which divide the country from within in order to score political points.

It's time for both Democrats and Republicans to stop the dirty political stunts and debate the real issues of national security, the economy, healthcare, immigration, and social programs and let the voters decide the trajectory of our nation based on solid differences not incendiary rhetoric and empty promises.

Madeline Bizette, Port Orange

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