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Letters to the Editor, Jan. 14 Saturday Jan 14, 2017 at 12:01 AM A Quaker perspective This election has been stressful, and coming together as Americans may be challenging regardless of our political views. Just as many others do at such times, Quakers turn to our faith for guidance. Quakers believe there is something of God in everyone. This is a core belief; one of the rocks we stand on. We also believe everyone holds part of the truth and no one has it all. So we make decisions by consensus, and we seek the most perfect truth we can find. We must hear, consider and incorporate each person’s part of the truth to reach our goal. No decision is made until everyone is on board; in consensus there are no winners or losers. Dissenting opinions, and those who hold them, are honored and respected. This is very different from public discourse in recent years. Consensus is usually effective only in organizations where it is traditional. However, we offer two things that may be constructively “lifted out” of Quaker practice: the belief that everyone holds part of the truth and the practice of respect for dissenting opinion. These things are not complex and can be used effectively by people of goodwill regardless of their faith. Steve Radcliffe, for the South Mountain Friends Meeting Ashland Not taught to hate In response to the Jan. 10 letter “The time has come,” from Glenda Rosenstein, stating that Christians are bigots and racist: I’m not sure what church she attended, but when I was growing up the most cherished song was “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” We were never taught to hate. But I am sure someone will find that song to be racist in some way. Debra Witt Medford Jefferson would be appalled “A properly functioning democracy depends on an informed electorate.” Thomas Jefferson wrote about the importance of a well-informed electorate many times. Unfortunately, we have apparently dismissed Jefferson’s ideal. The recent election presented us with the specter of victory of the uninformed over the informed. The Electoral College victor, though losing the popular vote, was the candidate who lied throughout his campaign, and then lied to deny his lies. Fake news and conspiracy hoaxes were the cornerstone of his campaign. Now, as president-elect, he even claims he is too smart to need intelligence briefings. But this is not new; the GOP has long suppressed research as a way to further their goals: They denied the CDC authority to investigate gun violence (research could suggest guns are hazardous). They denied the Pentagon authority to explore climate change as a threat to the nation (presumably it’s better not to know what threats climate change might pose). And now, in consort with the incoming administration, they plan to suppress climate science research occurring in NASA even though this agency provides much of the best climate research in the world. Jefferson would be appalled: The worship of anti-democratic ignorance has become the hallmark of government. Alan Journet Jacksonville Presidential picks The Senate is expected to hold hearings regarding the nominee Andrew Puzder for secretary of labor. Puzder railed against a increase in the minimum wage and opposed expanding overtime pay. He also supported replacing working people with machines. This is a bad choice for the working people who will be effected the most. Puzder is unfit to run the agency tasked with protecting people at work. He would be a disaster for working people. Putting Puzder in charge of labor is like putting a bank robber in charge of the bank. Christin Gearey Gold Hill Socialism averted I recently read an article of what happened to Venezuela when Hugo Chavez became president and turned the nation into a socialist state. Prior to his reign, the nation thrived with a large export economy of farms, ranches, oil, etc. Due to his foolishness, the inflation rate now is over 500 percent a year. The people line up blocks long to receive government distribution of food. Our nation is flirting with socialism and it would most likely have been a reality under Bernie Sanders or Hillary Clinton. Obama has been a disaster for our nation due to his unconstitutional executive orders: Obamacare, the Iran nuclear deal, doubling the national debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion and his parting betrayal of our best friend, Israel, concerning the United Nations land giveaway of the West Bank. Obama refused to veto the deal. It will take a miracle for Trump to bring us back from the edge of the cliff and a total collapse. Please pray for our country. Gordon DeVos Medford