Student commentary should be shared all over

I have read and reread Empress Rasheem’s letter to the editor, “A Baltimore high schooler’s love letter to city buses” (March 21), and then have passed it on to others who may also delight in it.

First, her descriptions of fellow bus-riding passengers evoked so many memories of my bus-riding days in Baltimore as well as in New York. I never felt that way riding a subway which was too rushed and offered little or no eye contact. Her poignant account of how the bus stop became her mentor and how she learned from observing fellow travelers made me rethink my own experience: Did that happen to me as well? I do recall spotting “regulars” on familiar bus routes and maybe a quick smile or nod as I made my way to a seat.

The letter writer’s weaving of what and how she learned from observing people while also being challenged by transportation setbacks was beautifully spun. She is only a junior at Western High School, but her future in journalism looks so promising. I wish her all the best.

— Welby H. Loane, Towson

How can Mosby be trusted on lottery commission?

Can someone explain how the Maryland Senate would approve Nick Mosby’s appointment to the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission which oversees lottery, casino and sports wagering operations, regulations, contracts and licenses (“Maryland senators back Mosby’s appointment amid concerns over unpaid bills and debts,” March 21)?

The former Baltimore City Council president had tax liens and ballooning tax debt. He claimed tens of thousands of dollars in charitable donations, had outstanding debt and had his car repossessed. Honestly, if you or I had all this going on who in their right mind would hire us? We would probably be in jail.

Then again, our elected Democratic lawmakers in Annapolis might just be the dumbest people and Senate President Bill Ferguson leads the pack. Oh, and let’s not forget Gov. Wes Moore for recommending Mosby for this position. What a pathetic group of elected officials we have in Maryland.

As long as people keep voting these idiotic Democrats into office, nothing will change in this state.

— Judy Francis, Towson

What surplus? Hogan and others misrepresent state finances.

I’m tired of the political talking point that Gov. Wes Moore “squandered” former Gov. Larry Hogan’s “surplus” (“How did Democrats squander multi-billion-dollar surplus?” March 19). Maryland, just like every other state in the country, got billions of dollars from the federal government during the coronavirus pandemic.

These COVID relief funds were never going to last. In fact, this year’s budget deficit was predicted back in 2017 when Hogan was governor.

The Baltimore Sun should stop letting Hogan and his allies fill its opinion pages with false narratives.

— Reece Peak, Cockeysville

What a disturbing (or perhaps comical) take on presidential powers

Wow! The recent letter to the editor from Salvatore Fili of Sparks (“Trump ignores orders,” March 21) was really disturbing. So much so, in fact, I could not tell if it was supposed to be sarcastic. He applauds Andrew Jackson for the Trail of Tears and praises several other presidents “who understood the separation of powers” by giving examples of their defiance of that crucial and special aspect of our democracy.

Finally, the letter writer praises President Jackson for beating a heckler with a stick and observes, “Wouldn’t it have been great to see President [Donald] Trump beat [U.S. Sen.] Chuck Schumer with a stick…or how about [U.S. Rep.] Maxine Waters…”? This bizarre letter was so far beyond the pale it could be a sketch on Saturday Night Live.

— Steven Block, Baltimore

Libraries, museums unfairly hit by Trump cuts

Disbanding the Institute of Museum and Library Services is a national tragedy (“What’s happening with the Institute of Museum and Library Services after Trump’s executive order,” March 20).

Libraries are recognized as a public good. By shuttering the IMLS, libraries, archives and museums will be unable to provide individuals and communities with access to “trusted information, ideas and stories about the nation’s diverse natural and cultural heritage.”

The IMLS cannot be allowed to become one of the Department of Government Efficiency’s victims. Now is the moment to reestablish the IMLS and restore its funding.

— Pamela Bluh Van Oosten, Ellicott City