Letters from Readers, May 24, 2023

I attended that event and was impressed by the decorum of the 812 high school seniors who had maintained a 4.0 or better grade-point average throughout all four years of high school. I was not aware of any pushing, shoving or name calling. Maybe the adults in this world could learn manners from these young people.

As their names were called, they ascended the stage and began lining up to shake the hands of the long line of dignitaries and contributors. I noticed that none of the students was presented with a certificate of accomplishment. 

The event got under way with a marching military Honor Guard, complete with shiny uniforms and polished rifles. I don’t understand why rifles are required at an event intended to commemorate scholastic achievement. 

Senior Pastor Chris Johnson from Grace Chapel gave a lengthy invocation with various supplications to God regarding the future of the students. This event was organized to a large degree by the Antelope Valley Union High School District, and I think that in the future, they ought to dispense with any form of zealous religious indoctrination to a captive audience of impressionable young people. Education is all about producing citizens capable of thinking for themselves, not sheep blindly following the herd.

There were many guest speakers, including one from Waste Management, and others from various contributors. Not once was any student given the microphone and asked to say a few words. I thought this was supposed to be about the students and their hard work, not about how great the businesses are who donated money.

Rifles and prayers to God are not appropriate for an event like this.

Art Sirota

Lancaster

The Democrats are guilty, too

The Nazis committed genocide against the Jews. The Democrats commit “Gene-side against unborn babies (aka abortion).

John Elkins

Lancaster

Bakersfield is a good flight option

Over the years that I have lived in this valley, there has been a desire for local airline service. There even were airlines that gave the Antelope Valley a try. All to no avail, the service was not supported and all terminated service.

Well, I discovered a possible good option for people who do not want to experience the hassle and hub bub of either Burbank Airport or Los Angeles International Airport. I suggest Bakersfield. Yep, they have service to Phoenix, Dallas, Denver and San Francisco where connections to everywhere can be made.

The population of Bakersfield is about the same as the Antelope Valley. I tried it last week.

After a drive of just over an hour (about the same as Burbank or LAX), I arrived at Meadows Field. I parked in long-term parking (only $10 per day) and took the easy walk to the terminal. American Airlines and United Airlines provide service. There were no crowds no confusion and the walk to the gate was easy.

Both airlines fly regular jetliners and my flight left right on time. I will use their service again the next time I fly.

Jim Gardner

Palmdale

Changes to a historic site

There was no real walkway up onto the Tor in Glastonbury, Somerset, Scotland, when I climbed it some years ago.

Almost a monadnock, a medieval tower stood a the top and there was no paved access — as shown now on the Internet — along with its supposed association with King Arthur and his roundtable crew — not to mention the Holy Grail and that old fella from Aramithea. Just dewy and slippery grass that I slipped on when going back down the hill. But it lives up to its reputation as a magical place.

Of course, there was no recent scuttlebutt about old Joey and his famous flagon in the local Red Lion pub.

Kenneth Nickel

Lancaster

Never mentioned ‘sexual identity’

Dave Walker: “Guy Marsh suggests studies indicate [2-year-olds] understand their sexual identity. That’s true. However, he failed to say their identity can only be described as rudimentary. In reality, they’re beginning to recognize boys and girls are different and that they’re one of the two; that’s it.”

Firstly, I wrote nothing about sexual identity, for sexual identity and gender identity are entirely different. I discussed gender identity. 

And as discussed by Psychology Today (April 12, 2022), research conducted by the National School Climate Survey shows transgendered children have more than a rudimentary understanding of their gender identity by age 2. 

Walker: “[O]ften, they can only pick out sexual differences by visual clues (lengths of hair, make-up, dresses, pants, etc.). That’s a far cry from the type of sexual identity Marsh implies or the ‘education’ that wokeism wants to force on our children via schools.”

Again, I didn’t mention sexual identity, a fundamental distinction. 

Walker: [T]here are videos of activist teachers bragging about how they either lied or never told parents about themselves teaching their elementary children wokeism.”

I was unable to secure such videos. Dave Walker may point to one or two in a subsequent letter. 

Walker: “Wokeism may or may not teach anti-bullying behavior. But, at its core, it teaches racism by indoctrinating white children. They are oppressors and Black and brown children are the oppressed.”

Educational expressions of sensitivity to historical and systemic prejudices and injustices certainly (do) teach anti-bulling, which is problematic for the right. And such instruction accurately teaches American history, not racism. 

It instructs that, throughout America’s history, LBGTQ people and people of color have been treated brutally by America’s dominant culture. That America’s dominant culture is white is a fact. 

But most white people don’t care about those historical injustices. So they comically scream “reverse discrimination.

Guy Marsh

Lancaster

Russia probe found no evidence

The Durham investigation investigated the origins of Russiagate that accused candidate Donald Trump of concluding with Russia to throw the 2016 election.

The report of findings shows the upper echelons of the FBI knew they had unverified evidence to support an investigation but pressed forward anyway. Hillary Clinton, her campaign, and the Democratic National Committee paid for the Steele report (the evidence), all the while knowing it was disinformation to support her political ambitions.

Obama, Biden, the upper echelons of the FBI, the CIA and National Security Agency all knew it was a lie bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton and friends. Reps. Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell, Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats all claimed to have documented proof of Russian conclusion, but to this day it remains unavailable for review by the public.

The lie caused ruined reputations and cost over $100 million of taxpayer money to investigate a known lie by high government officials to get Hillary elected, which ended in failure. I am not saying Trump is as pure as the driven snow, but we will never know how effective his presidency would have ended if not for the big lie. 

Last week the House held whistleblower hearings where three FBI agents detailed the “bad actor” actions of the FBI. One would think this would be a nonpartisan issue, but think again — the Democrats tried and tried again to discredit the FBI agents. Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz accused one agent of testifying only to further his book sales.

Rep. Linda Sanchez was the dumbest — she cited a Tweet that disparaged Rep. Pelosi but the agent in question said it was not his account. However, Rep. Sanchez pressed forward, demanding the agent answer if he agreed with the tweet. What relevance did the tweet have once the agent said, “not my account”? 

Curt Redecker

Lancaster