Glory and Disgust

[Robin Goldsworthy’s] editorial opinion – rather criticism – of the conduct of some of the players of the World Cup winning American soccer team is well directed [From the desk of the publisher, July 18]. The women brought glory to the country but some of the players, especially Megan Rapinoe and Allie Long, displayed conduct that was shameless, disrespectful and disgusting. These players not only had no respect for the flag but, led by Rapinoe, also insulted the national anthem.

Rapinoe also displayed arrogance at the victory parade when she, clutching the trophy and putting it on her knee, kept on screaming: “I deserve it” as if only she deserved it, not the team. Earlier, the same Rapinoe had used a derogatory word about the White House (meaning the President of the United States) that if invited she would not go.

This leftist, so-called progressive and liberal conduct is shameful and does not truly represent players who are seen as role models for the youth. Of course, this deplorable conduct is the result of the “free speech movement” started in full swing after the Supreme Court’s highly controversial and questionable 1989 decision. It was in favor of a violent rioter – rowdy, destructive Communist vandal named Jonson – who led a mob in Dallas, destroying property and indulging in all kinds of anti-America antics and uncivil conduct on city streets [and] burning the American flag. He then won his case in the Supreme Court as free speech. The Court overruled 48 out of 50 states that had laws against insulting the flag and other national symbols.

It’s high time the Supreme Court, with patriotic and fair-minded justices – not activists, so-called progressive and liberal ones – overturn the “free speech decision” that allowed insulting and desecrating the flag and the national anthem. These symbols are above party politics. They are symbols of the nation, its unity, its military’s bravery, greatness and the universal message of freedom. 

Yatindra Bhatnagar

Tujunga 

Considering Damage to
Human Lives

The Grayson re-powering project seems to be viewed in a fiscal, managerial and legislative sense. These are important for the structure and function of the project but there is one issue that supersedes them: the damage done to human lives. Our citizens who are most at risk are those will suffer the most. I was born being visually impaired and with the help of people in my community I was [able] to learn to advocate for myself. Now it is my duty to bring a voice back to the voiceless.

We have disabled people who are in far tougher positions than I – children who are growing up and just starting to learn about the damage that we are doing and our elderly citizens who deserve to at least have clean air, water and food to live on. I know that sometimes when we make decisions like these we forget why we can do so. It’s because people entrusted us with the power and we must serve those people. There have been many cities that have a greater population and substantially higher power demand that have shifted away from using fossil fuels in their power plants. The time for fossil fuels is up and now is the time for Glendale to stand up and say no!

Rostom Dadian

Glendale