Fight Club series

Where would this great country be without investigative journalism?

At a time when some call it “fake,” we need those who expose the horrors of the fragments of our society that remain corrupt, incompetent, and medieval.

We all should acknowledge, with gratitude, Carol Marbin Miller, Audra D.S. Burch, Emily Michot and Casey Frank for their dedicated efforts to uncover the tragedies in Florida’s juvenile justice system. Anyone who reads their shocking examination of this dysfunctional system and is unaffected or indifferent to the plight of the young detainees is essentially heartless and amoral.

For the love of God and all humanity, we must act and do whatever it takes. There is no excuse for such evil in our midst.

We cannot pretend to be uninformed about the savage brutality any longer.

I can only imagine what it must be like for those in custody — there is no promise of rehabilitation, relief, or recourse. Where there is no hope, there is only death, both physical and emotional.

Women’s health

In his recent letter, “Birth control,” Fernando J. Milanes attacks a previous letter writer concerning her stance on contraceptives. He also agrees with President Trump’s rolling back the requirement that employers cover birth control in their healthcare plans.

But Milanes fails to point out that women use contraceptives several reproductive problems, including menstrual irregularities, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and fibroids.

Many women who may not want to cover these medications also may one day need them.

As for men who do not want to pay for them, I have health insurance and I am sure my insurance helps pay for Viagra, Cialis, and testosterone.

Therefore, why am I being forced to pay for the medications that are of no use to me?

Out of this world

Congressional candidate Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera’s ride on an alien spaceship will certainly get her enough votes to win Ileana Ros-Lehtinen’s seat in Congress next year.

Perhaps she can get in Santa’s sleigh for her victory ride.

Name-caller

As a candidate, Donald Trump excelled at crushing his opponents by labeling them: “Crooked Hillary,” “Little Marco,” and “Low-Energy Jeb” still resonate.

And now that Trump is president, he has gone international, labeling North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, “Rocket Man.” Thus far, this has not caused North Korea’s denuclearization. Kim launched a counterattack, calling Trump a “dotard.”

This label, though offensive, is archaic. Thank God, Trump doesn’t know what it means.

Then, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, wielding on of Trump’s most lethal weapons, labeled the president a “moron.”

If Trump’s Achilles heel is his mind, Congress is mandated to consider articles of impeachment to ensure functional government operations.

Disaster distraction

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

President Trump golfed while Puerto Rico drowned.

Pitts no centrist

Re Leonard Pitts Jr.’s Oct. 15 column, “How can Democrats survive? They need to make a hard left:” For Pitts to say that he is “by nature, a centrist” is ludicrous. Pitts’ columns come from the far-left.

In addition, he wants Democrats to “move left.” But if Democrats take their party any further left than President Obama did, they will fall off the Earth.

Destroyer in chief

President Trump got elected as a dealmaker, but look at what he has already compromised: Universal healthcare; climate change initiatives; EPA regulations for clean air and water; the Iran nuclear deal; relations with North Korea; the ability of his advisers to do their jobs; foreign policy; America’s influence, respect, and leadership in the world

Lawmakers in Congress might be discussing Trump’s stability and sanity in private.

But it’s time to act and go public. They might even get reelected by a different constituency than the alt right.

GOP in peril

In President Trump’s futile attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare, he is hellbent on destroying it with his executive actions.

But he should remember the rule that, “If you break it you own it.”

Taking away healthcare from millions of people would fall squarely on his shoulders and on the GOP, which enables him.

Presidential envy

President Trump is spending a great deal of time undoing all the good things that President Obama accomplished in his eight years of leading the country.

But there’s one word I haven’t seen in the letters to the editor or in discussions about the situation: jealousy.

It doesn’t take a degree in psychiatry to figure that out.

Only money matters

Hatred of President Obama has been the driving force of Republican domestic policy for the past eight years and continues today.

Republicans intend to repeal Obamacare, in the vain hope that the world will little note or long remember that it was America’s first black president who brought healthcare to millions of uninsured and uninsurable Americans.

They would instead install Trumpcare, which will take healthcare away from millions of poor and vulnerable Americans, so that President Trump can reap big tax breaks for himself and his billionaire pals.

As everyone knows, you can’t have too much money.

Besides, the poor and disabled should just get jobs. Then they would feel better about themselves and pay taxes like all hardworking Americans do. Sad!

NFL makes mistake

As a proud American, I am ashamed that the NFL had the audacity to block the National Anthem with commercials on three national networks on Sunday. CBS, Fox, and NBC blocked the viewing audience from seeing the flag and hearing the anthem.

I was offended and will not patronize companies that showed commercials during that time. I have been a sports fan all my life and have had great respect for professional teams’ owners.

But to show this lack of respect to the flag and anthem shows a lack of leadership at the NFL.

This story was originally published October 17, 2017 at 3:04 AM with the headline "Fight Club series."