US can honor Tubman and also support Black women

While reminding Americans of the enormous debt the United States owes Black women, Monica Williams also asserts that placing Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman on the twenty dollar bill is more “a worthless act of pandering” than a matter of substance (“As a Black woman, Tubman on the $20 does nothing for me,” Feb. 2). Save the cost of retrofitting the currency, she recommends, and instead invest in Black women whose generations of significant, estimable work has still left many of them struggling.

We can do both, however, and we should. Ms. Williams notes that “many countries put the images of people they admire on their legal tender.” The U.S. Treasury, on the other hand, merely acknowledges that “the portraits on our currency notes are of deceased persons whose places in history the American people know well.” I think we can do better than that. Slaveholder Andrew Jackson, currently on the $20, forced a massive removal of Indigenous people from their lands, leaving behind suffering and death and disqualifying him from the widely used international standard for admiration.

As Ms. Williams says, Tubman on the $20 does not “repay” Black women for their contributions. Rather, it encourages respect for the individual shown, no matter where we direct our cash.

Karen Ahlquist, Baltimore

Good luck getting a vaccination appointment

My husband, who is 81 years old with stage 4 kidney disease, has not been able to make an appointment for the COVID-19 vaccination. I am 67 with coronary artery disease and I can’t get an appointment either (“Can Maryland learn from other states’ COVID vaccine rollout and create a single sign-up site?” Feb. 5).

Because an even more contagious variant is now in Maryland, we are more concerned than ever. We feel that we are waiting helplessly to fall ill and most likely die. We’re afraid and we’re eligible. What happened?

Sara Levin, Reisterstown

Condemn Marjorie Taylor Greene’s enablers, too

As abhorrent as Marjorie Taylor Greene’s public conduct and rhetoric are, there are a few additional things to consider regarding this outrage (“GOP is all too happy to accommodate QAnon,” Feb. 3). She did not elect herself. Her constituents did. Marjorie Taylor Greene did not place herself on the House Education and Labor Committee or on the House Budget Committee. The GOP Steering Committee did.

As recently as last Saturday she tweeted, “I won’t back down. I’ll never apologize.” There should be consequences for Rep. Greene’s conduct and rhetoric. Those who voted her into office should question their motives for doing so. The GOP members of the House should examine their level of integrity.

Margaret Carroll, Marriottsville

A governor who expects teachers in classrooms is scared to speak in House

Imagine my surprise to see the headlines announcing that Gov. Larry Hogan would give the State of the State address via video due to coronavirus precautions (“Maryland Gov. Hogan to deliver State of the State speech Wednesday evening by video due to coronavirus precautions,” Feb. 1. He refused to enter the House of Delegates chamber, a room of approximately 3,300 square feet and several stories high, which has been reconfigured according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Maryland Department of Health guidelines? He would not address, in person, the Maryland General Assembly, even in a hybrid manner? He is admitting that the risk of being in contact with less than 100 people for less than one hour, in this setting, is too great? Are you kidding me?

Governor Hogan believes that this risk was too great, yet he expects educators to be in a classroom of approximately 600-to-800 square feet, just one story high, with at least 10-to-12 students, 7.5 hours a day, four or five days a week? Are you kidding me?

He who has bullied, threatened and disrespected educators throughout this pandemic. He who has responded to a small but loud group of the public by ordering educators back to school, dismissing health metrics associated with opening schools safely, nullifying the need for educators to be vaccinated and disregarding CDC and MDH guidelines.

The same man who has ignored requests from school systems for state guidance and assistance, funneled federal COVID-19 relief moneys to vouchers, private and charter schools, and refused to order the state superintendent of schools or her department to create meaningful and sustaining guidelines to reopen schools, changing guidelines and standards to be met mere days before schools systems open.

And the person who promised retaliation and other actions against educators should they not adhere to your demands, refused to work with, in a collaborative effort, state superintendents, educator representatives, parent organizations and other stakeholders to safely reopen schools. This is the governor who stated, “the roadblocks to resuming in-person (instruction) must cease …. we need to follow the science.” This is the same person who chose to record a video of his State of the State address. Are you kidding me?

Cynthia F. Poper, Edgewood