Letters: Priorities misplaced as we open Iowa

The Register's Readers

Priorities misplaced as we open Iowa

As we begin opening up businesses in Iowa, who are we leaving out? I've been waiting on a plan for long-term care centers. When will families be able to visit their parents, even for an outside visit? As we reopen the state, the employees at long-term care centers will be at greater risk of exposure. I'm asking for guidelines for families.

Can we visit our loved ones only if we have been tested? Can we visit if we wear a shield, or pass health screenings or visit outside the facility? At this point, we have no plans for our elderly, our disabled, prisoners, children, meatpacking workers, and other high-risk workers.

I've been waiting two and a half months for some kind of health guidelines. Going to a bar or casino seems more important than Iowa's elderly population.

More:Des Moines automates some crosswalk signals along MLK to reduce high-touch areas during COVID-19 pandemic

— Lynn Cannon, Des Moines

Our democracy will suffer under misinformation

During my 32 years of college government teaching, I tried to respond to any source presenting lies, half-truths, or disinformation regarding our political economy. Today, lying and misrepresentation seems to be more and more acceptable. Science, whistle-blowers, and media are often under attack from powerful people.

Politicians go along with the party line and are silent about the lies told to the public. If our elected leaders do not take responsibility for a truth driven social and political reality our democracy will suffer; see history.

Finding others to blame for our societal problems is part of the lying game. It is easy for us citizens to take no ethical responsibility for what is going on in our politics. After all, God forgives us our sins on a regular basis and requires little from us other than to save our own souls. Or we can rely on the late comedian Flip Wilson, who relieved us of responsibility, by telling us that the devil made me do it. Another choice in our current environment is to join in with our favorite party or crowd to make lying great again.

More:From the editor: Des Moines Register, partners cancel release of Iowa Poll after respondent raises concerns

— Thomas Beck, Ankeny

Companion animals need to be protected               

Will 2020 be the year Iowa lawmakers protect companion animals? Year after year, companion animals continue to suffer horrific abuse and neglect at an alarming rate and offenders, if charged, are charged with simple misdemeanors. Just in recent days, in Des Moines, a man adopted bonded dogs and left them in an apartment starved to death; a woman stabbed and tried to drown a cat, and most recently, two kittens were put in a box, the box set on fire, burning the kittens inside.

Both incidents involving the cats, the cats survived, but suffered horrific injuries. Obviously, there is abuse that doesn’t make the news and, unfortunately, go unreported.

Animal abuse and neglect crimes continue to occur at alarming rates and increasing manners of cruelty. It is time our lawmakers pass legislation that will punish the perpetrators of these crimes. Iowa continues to be one of only two states nationwide that does not prosecute animal abuse cases as felonies, the other being Mississippi. 2020 needs to be the year for lawmakers to take action to protect companion animals. As citizens, we need to contact our representatives and let them know we want action taken to protect companion animals now.

More:Iowa Senate passes bill increasing penalties for animal abuse, neglect

— Sheryl Eaton, Des Moines

Amid virus, we must worship where possible

This last weekend, being an Ahmadi Muslim, I joined over a quarter of the world in celebrating Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic festival marking the end of Ramadan. This year’s celebrations were unusual and historic. We didn’t flock to mosques to fill up the ranks, side by side with our neighbors in prayer, nor did we hear the imam deliver the Eid sermon from the pulpit. It was a humbling and empowering experience to lead the Eid prayer and coalesce the sermon in my home for and with my family, just as intimately as we’d been doing for the weekly Friday prayers.

God made the entire earth a mosque for Prophet Muhammad of Islam and made each one of us minor imams in our own spheres. God is omnipresent and descends upon every heart that remembers him and fulfills their duties to him and his creation. Sustaining the spirit of readily giving, striving, sacrifice, service to and solidarity with the less fortunate is what Eid is all about. This is how true Islam is not only practical but transcendental for every situation, for better or worse.

More:Iowa churches try to find ‘balance’ in returning to normal service, keeping churchgoers safe from COVID-19

— Irtaza Khalid, Coralville

UI should rethink ticket policy 

While we have seen variable degrees of suffering and disruption created by the COVID-19 pandemic, the markedly different approaches to season football ticket renewals taken by our state’s two largest universities is still noteworthy.

At Iowa State University a season ticket holder who feels uncomfortable in attending games this year has first rights for their same seats in 2021. In other words, the university has compassionately told their loyal fans they cannot lose their seats because of the virus.

Meanwhile, at the University of Iowa, those season ticket holders who are uneasy about subjecting themselves to stadium crowds or have experienced a recent change in their financial situation, are being told that their seats are subject to resale and potentially lost forever.

Mysteriously, the university which takes so much pride in gameday waves to hospitalized patients in their children’s hospital, does not show the same level of respect for longtime season football ticket holders.

More:Peterson: Iowa State remains one step ahead with its football ticket plan

— Jon Fleming, Ames

We must continue to recognize those lost 

As I write this letter, 489 Iowans have lost their lives to COVID-19. Gov. Kim Reynolds was recognizing these deaths every day at the beginning of her news conference. It was one of the reasons I tuned in, to hear her solemn announcement of the number of Iowans we had lost in the prior 24 hours. That might seem strange, that I tuned in for this death announcement. However, it was the only place I had heard these souls being recognized, counted, out loud, and their families and friends given at least a modicum of sympathy, if only for the briefest of moments.

No longer is this true. The deaths, as well as new cases, are no longer part of the narrative. We have moved on to recovery. Reynolds told a reporter when asked if she would consider providing the numbers again, the short answer was no, she would not. Thinking about death is kind of a downer when you want people to move forward, you want people to forget.

Instead, the daily news conferences have become a PR event for Reynolds, with each speaker carefully selected to tell her recovery story. Any question from the press contradicting this narrative is left largely unanswered, and the script turns back to how wonderful we Iowans are, how responsible, doing all the right things, wearing our masks, washing our hands, staying socially distant. She trusts us Iowans to do the right thing!

So, if you want to know how many people have died, go to the website. You’ll find the data there. End of story. Except it’s not, or it shouldn’t be. These Iowans who have lost their lives shouldn’t be relegated to a red bar graph at the bottom of a website. They should be recognized, and the governor of our state should be leading the charge.

More:Coronavirus live updates: US hits 100,000 deaths from coronavirus as states continue to cautiously reopen

— Jen Lennon, Urbandale

Mauro's representation needed in our community 

Eddie Mauro’s leadership and strength are desperately needed. He will fight for our diverse communities and for working people everywhere. He is dedicated to service and advocacy as a champion for those without a voice.

Mauro has a long history of working for immigrant and refugee communities in Iowa in their fight for social justice. He has built an extraordinary and diverse campaign that emphasizes the importance of persons of color. The Latino and Asian American electorate are hungry for a new type of leadership that stands up to special interests and puts people before politics and out-of-state political elites.

It is especially needed at a time of great division and fear in America, and that is why I support Eddie Mauro for U.S. Senate in the upcoming Democratic primary.

More:Democrat Eddie Mauro, former congressional candidate, will seek Joni Ernst's Senate seat

— Mitch Henry, Des Moines

Greenfield will always have our backs

We’re writing to enthusiastically endorse Theresa Greenfield for U.S. Senate. 

As Iowans are facing tough times, there is nobody more qualified or experienced to represent us and start delivering results in Washington on day one. That’s why she’s earned the support and trust of workers like us across Iowa, along with the unions that represent us — including the Iowa AFL-CIO and 23 other labor groups.

Nobody should be surprised by Theresa’s grassroots support if they look at who she is, what she’s overcome and what she stands for. 

As a 24-year old widow raising two young kids after her first husband, an IBEW electrical worker died on the job, Theresa got back up stronger with the help of Social Security. She went back to school and eventually became president of a small business — which means she has a good business sense and can help straighten things out in Washington. She also grew up on a family farm and understands the harsh realities that bad trade and bad policies can have on our farmers. 

These real-life experiences drive Theresa commitment to fight for Iowa’s working families, farmers and small businesses. She’ll support policies we can all get behind to lower the cost of health care, create jobs that pay living wages, ban dark money in our elections, protect secure retirements, and improve workplace safety, along with investing in good infrastructure and high-quality education, so all of our kids have more opportunities to stay here, earn a good living and proudly raise their families. 

Theresa is also the only candidate who is doing the hard work it takes to unite Iowans and build a strong coalition that can beat Sen. Joni Ernst. Her strong fundraising means she’ll have what it takes to compete, even though she’s rejecting corporate PAC donations. 

We have Theresa’s back because we know she’ll always have ours. 

— Letter signed by 100 Iowa workers

Franken as qualified, well-spoken as anyone 

Several weeks ago, I was invited to be part of a small group that met in DeWitt with Adm. Mike Franken, and he is one of the most qualified political candidates whom I have had the chance to hear from or meet. When elected, he will be the highest-ranking retired military officer to have ever been a senator.

He has served on active duty on four continents, helped direct the efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and was the senior officer of the unified military operations in that area. He is not simply a leader, but one with global experience. He was Sen. Ted Kennedy’s first military legislative aide. He has experience working in the Senate and in Washington, D.C.

He recognizes the need for climate change reform, knows how to negotiate, and has experience in getting things done cooperatively at home and abroad. His background and experience will make it possible to function and serve effectively from his very first day in the Senate. He will not need time for training or finding his way around.

Iowa is fortunate to have Mike Franken willing and able to be running as a candidate for the U.S. Senate.

More:Democratic challengers fight for momentum in muted Iowa Senate primary; winner will take on U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst

— Bob Hamilton, Davenport

As we reopen, don't hide facts from us 

This week, Gov. Kim Reynolds said during her daily briefing that the state will not post information about businesses with COVID-19 outbreaks of more than 10% of their workforce, and that the only way ordinary Iowans like you and me can find out is if a reporter specifically asks her about an outbreak. Yet at the same time, the governor has repeatedly said that she expects Iowans to act responsibly in protecting themselves from the virus. How exactly can we do so if we don't even know where outbreaks are occurring?

Unfortunately, the governor's willingness to hide information from her constituents has been a long-term pattern, beginning with her matrix that was never revealed or publicly vetted, to her removal of the state's pandemic plan from public view. When hundreds of Iowans have died and thousands have become infected, it seems that we would be much better served by transparency and honesty instead of cover-ups and silence.

More:Iowa officials won't disclose coronavirus outbreaks at meatpacking plants unless media asks

— Jeff Dickey-Chasins, Grinnell

Bottle service needs retooling

The virus seems like another opportunity for business to do an end run around good policy that is seen as inconvenient. Can and bottle returns are on hold until they are not a health concern? According to obligated businesses, that has always been an issue. The people working in this very necessary and essential business have always worn gloves, and everyone in these places wears masks now as well. The beverage containers are not fresh by and large, and viruses do not stay active for long periods of time.

If you are going to collect the deposits and not accept returns, please give that money to the vastly underpaid and under compensated people who made their living off of this needed service. In fact, bump up the rate they are compensated as hazard pay. The obligated businesses see this as a bonus of the virus; make it a bonus for the people who actually do the work and need the money far more than the stores that sell the beverages. Fair is fair after all.

More:Iowans would no longer take cans, bottles to grocery stores, under proposed bill

— Mark Clipsham, Ames

Wearing masks should be required 

My wife and I recently visited a Hy-Vee store in our area, and to our amazement and disgust, over 95% of the estimated patrons in the store were not wearing masks. You might as well have had a sign on the door stating that you don't need to wear a mask. All store employees were required to wear masks to keep patrons safe. What about the patrons not wearing masks? Do they not care about other people? For that matter, doesn't Hy-Vee care about the safety of their customers?

In reply to a letter I sent to Hy-Vee customer service, I was told that wearing masks wasn't legally required by state and local governments, and that Hy-Vee isn't asking patrons to wear masks. In reply, I suggested that Hy-Vee post signs recommending the wearing of masks. I have received no response from Hy-Vee on that suggestion. Anyone who has watched the daily virus briefings knows that the wearing of masks and social distancing are highly recommended by state and local government and health organizations nationwide.

Many businesses throughout the Des Moines metro area have demonstrated their interest in the safety of people by posting signs outside their store that a mask is required for entrance.

More:Free face masks to be distributed Tuesday at Hy-Vees across Iowa

— Ronald Reighard, Urbandale

Federal government could have acted sooner

Out of curiosity, we tested Gov. Kim Reynold’s statement that COVID-19 testing is available for everyone, and because I’m a primary caregiver for my mother in the high-risk group, we needed to know.

The online site questions took only a few minutes. We were scheduled the very next day. The wait line was well managed — great job, National Guard — and the nurses were wonderful. Results back two days later via email, negative results. Distancing and masks have paid off.

I’m grateful to the governor and everyone involved for the test. What do I wish, though? This test should have been available weeks earlier, in time to help flatten the curve and save lives. No blame for our state government here, but why didn’t the White House recognize what the rest of the world was seeing and act earlier?

More:'Fallen short': Local health official tells Gov. Kim Reynolds’ staff Test Iowa, lack of data leaves county at disadvantage

— Rob Elgin, Urbandale

More money should be allocated to working class 

My husband and I just tested positive for COVID-19 here in Storm Lake. I have been isolating since March and my two children have been isolating since the schools closed, but my husband works at the Tyson meat plant here in town helping to keep our nation’s food supply stable during this time of crisis.

Tyson is paying him disability while he battles the virus, but my question is, why is he not allowed to receive the $600-a-week compensation from the CARES Act? Why doesn’t Iowa seem to have any provisions to compensate and protect our front-line essential workers? Surely parts of the CARES Act and some of the federal grant money sent to Iowa could be delegated to those like my husband who are fighting a deadly virus after risking himself to keep Iowa's and the nation’s food supply from collapsing.

Like most Iowans, I have a nuanced view of Gov. Kim Reynolds, and I’d say I agree with her on many of her decisions during this difficult time, but there is no excuse for what my family is enduring now. Trillions of federal dollars wasted. A few checks in April do not begin to compensate my husband and me, and now we have no long-term stable income while we both battle this virus and hope our children are not infected as well.

More:What should you do if you threw out or destroyed that stimulus card? Members of Congress want to know, too

— Alice Wilk, Storm Lake

Ernst's effort on bill worthy of applause 

I applaud Sen. Joni Ernst for introducing a bipartisan bill (S. 3628) to stop the federal government from using our tax dollars to purchase animals at China's dangerous and inhumane wet markets.

As a pathologist, my work focuses on how diseases affect the human body. China’s wet markets, where wildlife and companion animals like cats and dogs are sold and slaughtered for people to eat, are ground zero for disease transmission, in addition to being extremely cruel. COVID-19 may have jumped to humans at a Chinese wet market, as have prior pandemics such as SARS. Other dangerous viruses can, and will, make that leap from animals to humans at wet markets.

That's why I was shocked to learn from the taxpayer watchdog group White Coat Waste Project that the U.S. government purchased cats and puppies from China's wet markets to be butchered and transported back to the United States, then fed to kittens in disturbing experiments. This misuse of public funds is not just stunningly inhumane, but, as the COVID-19 pandemic shows, it also puts our health on the line.

I do not want my tax dollars subsidizing China’s wet markets, and I am grateful for Senator Ernst’s leadership to end this waste and abuse.

More:Memoir by Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa coming out in May

— Tiffani Milless, Des Moines

Iowans, Americans must return to daily life

There is no current vaccine for COVID-19 and we probably won't see anything useful for some time to come. The reality is brutal, but the state must continue to reopen and get back to business. That doesn't mean we will ignore common-sense precautions. Masks, social-distancing and even staying home if you don’t feel well should still remain necessary. Don't let the news media scare you. Some will get sick and certainly some will die, but the truth is the vast majority of you will either just be mildly ill or not even feel it at all.

There has to be some sense that the greater good is being served. As hard as that is to accept, please try. The state and the country cannot continue to be at a standstill any longer. There are times when you just have to say, things happen and I'm going to deal with it and get on with my life.

More:Central Iowa foster families share highs and lows of bringing in children, only to let them go

— Beryl Richards, Nashua

Franken will challenge Trump, Ernst 

Iowa Democrats have a rare opportunity to select a challenger to Joni Ernst who brings unparalleled credentials to an Iowa race. Republicans fear Adm. Michael Franken as the June 2 primary approaches.

A retired Navy vice admiral, Franken's service to country has taken him to all points of the globe and given him unrivaled skills in leadership that come with command. As I write this on Memorial Day, I am reminded of the challenges to those who take on the rigor of military service and of the talent set needed to rise to the highest posts of leadership.

Franken is a fourth-generation Iowan who as a young man took the initiative and risk that comes with moving often and far and wide. He is home to serve his state and country.

The other candidates in this race are all good people but typical vanilla Iowa Democrats. All have endearing personal stories, but Donald Trump and Joni Ernst Republicans will make toast of endearing stories. It's a big world out there, Iowa Democrats. Let's put a guy on the national stage who has been on the world stage. That's Michael Franken.

More:Separated by plexiglass, Iowa's Democratic U.S. Senate hopefuls debate COVID-19 policies, other issues

— David Helman, Salem

Average citizens deserve our appreciation 

During this trying time, my thoughts are drawn to the people I depend on for my health and well-being. Health care workers, first responders, government workers, delivery drivers, sanitation workers, retail workers, food industry workers, our religious leaders, and all of the people who help us maintain our physical and mental health, and a safe environment during this pandemic. It has helped to reinforce in me, and others, who the real superstars are; not the ones who play football on Sundays and make millions of dollars, not the ones you pay to go see perform in concert. The real superstars are the ones who take care of us.

The ones who risk personal safety in order to assure that other people’s needs are met. The ones who take time to give us a call and ask how we're doing, the ones who offer to pick up something from the store for us, the ones who notice the needs of others and do something nice for them, many times remaining in the background or even out of sight.

I am in awe of our elected government leaders and their appointees. They accepted their positions and have so generously given their time at a far greater measure than anyone could have expected. To them I am forever grateful. I could list them out, although it would be too long for this letter, all the people who are dedicating their lives in service to others. I feel the need for a statement of public appreciation.

For the purpose of honoring all those people who have so unselfishly given their time and sacrificed their personal comfort in order to serve other people, I propose that we proclaim our appreciation for all those individuals.

More:Another worker at Tyson Foods' Waterloo plant dies after long battle with COVID-19

— Richard Thimmesch, Ankeny

Iowans must step up in crunch time 

The University of Washington’s data predicts that Iowa’s daily death count from COVID-19 will continue to rise for another two weeks, or at least through the first week of June. The data also predict an additional 620 deaths through early August if all our social distancing and mitigation practices continue.

Iowans need to exercise care and responsibility if we are to hold the death toll to under 1,000 of our neighbors, friends, and families. Masking up, washing hands, social distancing, working from home when possible, and self-quarantining after exposure will be essential in the coming weeks. We can do all the recommended things and still find ways to support businesses that engage in good practices. We just can’t let this virus take more Iowans away. As President Donald Trump says, we are in a war, and it will take every single citizen’s effort to win it. Please do the right things and stay safe.

More:The latest: Iowa reports another 5 COVID-19 deaths, 263 new confirmed cases

— David Leslie, West Des Moines

Drake sole beneficiary from new stadium 

The new stadium for Drake University that was recently approved by the Des Moines school board is certainly a great thing for Drake. The same cannot be said for the Des  Moines schools or its students. Let me get this straight, Drake gets a new stadium, on its campus, for practices, games, recruiting and intramural activities. Drake’s investment in the project is $4.5 million. Des Moines Public Schools gets a stadium it can use for games, but this new stadium is miles away from most schools, which will make it difficult to use it for practice.

On game nights the schools will have to travel to the new stadium. This includes the teams, the bands, the cheerleaders and the fans. DMPS and Des Moines taxpayers' investment is $15 million. Des Moines school board members made this decision in spite of packed public hearings this winter where the opposition was at least five to one against the plan. The school board then puts the project on hold for several months, hoping people will forget about it, and then brings it back and holds a public hearing during the pandemic and then passes it unanimously. If this is such a great deal for the community and schools, why not hold a special election to determine its fate? The big winner is this deal is Drake University, not the people.

More:Des Moines Public Schools will partner with Drake on $19.5 million stadium

— Michael Mauro, Des Moines

We must treat virus as foreign enemy 

Suppose the United States was attacked by foreign armed forces and hundreds of civilians died every day. Suppose our president said not to worry, he had a gut feeling the enemy would give up and go home eventually. Suppose he continued to say that for two months, even though his advisers told him the enemy was not likely to go away without a planned, unified response from the federal government. During those two months he did nothing, and, therefore, the enemy was able to gain strategic footholds in every state. However, the president refused to become involved, saying even though it was a national emergency, it wasn't his problem.

Each state was to declare war individually. What arms would be required to fight the enemy? The states had to procure their own. Would there be a national unified response? Impossible, with 50 states making individual battle plans. Suppose the loss of 100,000-plus U.S. citizens was an acceptable outcome for a president who showed no empathy for the dead and dying and their families.

If we were being attacked by another country, would this chaos be an acceptable response? Why would anyone find it an acceptable response to COVID-19?

More:Iowa father, 35, recovering after nearly dying of COVID-19

— Pam Robins, Indianola