Social media
Re “Jurors find platforms harmful to children” (A1, March 26): I agree that too much social media use by children can be detrimental to their mental and physical health, but what ever happened to personal responsibility? Young children are in very vulnerable and formative stages. They need and depend on adults to steer them in the right direction and to teach discipline, discernment, moderation and healthy habits.
It’s appalling and unimaginable that a child would be “on social media all day long.” Adults overseeing a child’s electronic use means monitoring, setting controls and time limits, warnings of dangers and removing the device when the child doesn’t comply. It also includes encouraging alternative activities such as reading, playing outdoors, sports and times when no electronics are used such as meals and bedtimes. It can be easier to blame and harder to do all of the above, but a healthier child is well worth the effort.
Betty Arehart, Virginia Beach
Doublespeak
As an exercise in understanding how language can be used injuriously, I invite readers to use artificial intelligence to summarize the doublespeak/doublethink of the novel “1984.” It will sound eerily familiar to your ears.
Words matter; language isn’t neutral: “Department of War,” “Gulf of America,” and dehumanized wording such as “rapists” and “animals” used to describe immigrants. The SAVE America Act restricts voter access. It doesn’t save anything.
There are parallels between Gen. William Westmoreland’s reports of the Vietnam War’s body count and President Donald Trump’s description of the bombing in Iran. What we saw on TV didn’t look like America was being successful in Vietnam then; it doesn’t look like it in Iran now.
Tactical success is not the same as strategic success, which would include an open Strait of Hormuz and containment of enriched uranium.
Trump is in a pickle because the Iranians don’t want to end the war. They have nothing left to lose, and imminent existential threats to them result in a more reactionary response.
Here is how I believe Trump’s narcissism is driving this war: The U.S. military is a toy or plaything for him. He pictures himself as Alexander the Great of the Middle East. He thinks, “You will do what others can’t or won’t. You are smarter than them. You are a winner.”
As a result, the Persian Gulf will be in a mess, in terms of infrastructure, commerce and friendly relationships. Our country should expect criticism and more death. Let’s also not forget Trump’s antipathy to NATO.
Paul English, Chesapeake
Truth
At a news conference on March 27, the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told a number of bold-faced lies. One big one was blaming Democrats for all of our current problems. How can that be since Republicans control the House, the Senate, the White House and, essentially, the Supreme Court? Another big lie was saying that the Democrats want open borders. The problem with ICE is not that agents are enforcing immigration laws, it is how they are doing it. Of course, Johnson had to throw in some examples of immigrants committing heinous crimes. The truth is that, per capita, American citizens commit many more such crimes.
Our country is in deep trouble. We need the government to work together to solve our problems based on facts, not lies. It is clear that the war in Iran is causing serious problems such as the high cost of gas, food and many other things. The president has not told us the truth about why we need to be fighting this war or how long it will last. Instead, he and the secretary of defense are going after those who are trying to tell us the truth.
Vivian M. Reynolds, Newport News
