Pezold mistaken on distracted driving amendment

Representative John Pezold is wrong! There is a big difference between adjusting a rear view mirror and texting, emailing or worse. Adjusting a mirror is a momentary singular action. A driver can remain fully aware of what is going on at a busy intersection while adjusting a rear view mirror but not while texting.

How many times have you been behind someone at a red traffic signal when the light turns green and traffic begins to flow but the nitwit in front of you is busy texting or emailing and has no clue what is going on around him or her? Stopped drivers and moving drivers need to be aware of what is going on around them

I would suggest Mr. Pezold wait until he arrives at his destination to do whatever it is he does while waiting for a traffic signal to change.

One more time …

There are three points to be addressed here as follows:

1: Turn signal versus turning signal.

Normally found on the left side of the steering column below the steering wheel is a lever; it is used to alert other drivers of your intention to turn by turning on blinking lights on the front and back of your vehicle so they act accordingly. It is not a turning signal used to let others know you are already turning, somewhat redundant at that point.

2: Yield signs.

If it is facing you, then it means you. When you are entering a main roadway it does not give you the right of way. Webster defines yield as “to give way.”

3: Bumper riding.

It is dangerous to ride someone else’s bumper. When moving, you should, as a safe rule, allow a car length for each 10 mph between you and the vehicle in front of you. This gives you reaction time for any move they make. At a stop sign or light allow enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you for you to see their rear wheels, not necessarily law but common courtesy.

I hope this letter will be published for the benefit of all.

Precarious time

Shocked by Mr. Trump's advocacy of police brutality during his July 28 speech to law enforcement, I wrote a letter stating that the President's behaviors had loosed a zeitgeist of hate and discord. His most recent actions concerning the Charlottesville tragedy mark a new low for him and our nation.

Ours is a nation of immigrants that is based on equality and the rule of law. It is a grand experiment that has lasted for over 240 years as a light to the nations of the world. Yet it is, and always has been, fragile. Our system of checks and balances works if we adhere to facts, mutual respect, and compromise.

Our political discourse since the likes of Mr. Gingrich has become the scorched earth variety. Political adversaries have become enemies; political enemies have become villains. This is dangerous. America is at its best when it champions ideals. Such a time was at the Nuremberg trials and in the rebuilding of Germany and Japan after World War II. There we let our ideals and our laws supersede our baser selves.

I have watched healthy political debate devolve into spin, diatribe, lies and propaganda. I call upon our politicians to recognize the seriousness of our situation and defend the Constitution against all enemies, especially the domestic ones, to preserve our ideals. Loyalty to country supersedes loyalty to party. Citizens must insist on truth in public discourse and adherence to the norms of a representative democracy.

Just a reminder:

Lest the President forget, the military is the tool of the state, and we don't continue fighting somewhere to honor the sacrifices of personnel who died there, but because it is in the national interest.

Past as prologue

Contributing factors to the deaths and violence in Charlottesville:

1. Ineffective planning: There should have been enough police presence to control and separate the protesters and counter protesters. Improved proactive action could have ensured a safer environment for citizens.

2. Extremist right-wing vitriol from the likes of President Donald Trump and speakers from the Steve Bannon side of the political spectrum (white nationalism) help to activate and legitimize class and racial hate. How many future Timothy McVeighs or Dylann Roofs are emboldened?

I understand how some white citizens would fight to preserve icons of the Old South. It is also easy to understand how many citizens, and likely most people of color, are deeply offended. The Civil War was primary caused by the institution of slavery, a sin we are still paying for.

I'm all for adding memorials within town squares all over America that would truthfully acknowledge: the thousands of lynching victims, the unimaginable horrors of slavery, and the very brave civil rights leaders who changed the world for the better.

A large statue of a standing Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. co-located with statue of General Robert E. Lee on his horse would provide a context for the history of caste, class, race, and one day into the future … perhaps ... true redemption.

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 1:24 PM with the headline "Pezold mistaken on distracted driving amendment."