Border security not really about who is president

Trying to lay blame for the longstanding problems at our southern border on either Donald Trump or Joe Biden is just plain absurd (“Lax border security is Biden’s fault,” June 25).

The porousness of our border is as old as the border itself. And all this business about a wall is just a bunch of hooey put out into the information sphere to stir up support for one side or the other. People find ways around, under or over walls.

Also, the letter writer mentions atrocities that have been committed by immigrants, and I would recommend that you look for unbiased reporting on the number of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants as compared to the number of crimes committed by citizens.

I am fairly certain you will find that the vast majority of crimes committed in the United States are committed by U.S. citizens born right here within our borders (“A call for justice for Rachel Morin — and for rational immigration policy,” June 19).

Should our government have control of our southern border? Absolutely yes. Has any recent Congress managed to do anything about border security or immigration overall? Absolutely not.

Rather than blaming this or that president, critics should think about directing their ire to our Congress, which has become less and less responsive to the day-to-day problems we U.S. citizens experience in our daily lives — even as they become more and more entrenched in their current positions. We need a Congress that responds to problems and keeps a strong check on the actions of our presidents, and we haven’t seen that kind of Congress for a very, very, very long time.

We could fix that if we demanded that the U.S. House of Representatives repeal the Permanent Apportionment Act and moved to enlarge the size of the House to at least 1,000 members.

That would dilute the power of each individual member, force individual members to work to respond to constituent concerns, dilute the power of political parties in the House, and create new alliances based on natural affinities, such as districts that share in watersheds, districts that experience similar climate issues, or districts that share industries in common.

With a Congress that was at least 1,000 people strong, I suspect we would have an immigration and border policy that better reflects the wants and needs of all Americans.

We wouldn’t be having discussions about which president issued what order because the statute would tell the president exactly how immigration and the southern border are to be managed.

— James Elwyn Lytle, BaltimoreThe writer is a former director of the United Methodist Church’s Peace with Justice Program.

Respect our pets: Skip the July 4th fireworks

“It is a disturbing display of ego that the human desire to light up the quiet night sky with explosions continues despite the serious effects it has on vulnerable people, other species and our shared environment (not to mention the cost when governments are footing the bill).”

This observation by Dr. Kendra Coulter is even more distressing when we consider that Dr. Coulter is a leading expert on animals in work, animal protection organizations and policy, and gender equity.

Fireworks, while exciting and awe inspiring, are dangerous and can cause injuries — from shock to blindness, amputations and even death; high concentrations of smoke and powdered metallic salts that create brilliant colors also cause extensive air pollution, leaving dangerous toxins, harmful chemicals and smoke in the air for days (“Fireworks and drones to light up Baltimore sky for city’s Fourth of July celebration,” June 13).

In addition to physical harm, fireworks can cause structural and vehicle fires.

But more concerning and devastating, especially because this is completely avoidable, fireworks can also cause distress.

Those most affected include children, the elderly, individuals with respiratory or cardiac conditions, people with autism, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease, those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other vulnerable populations including animals.

The reaction of animals to the sound of fireworks is similar to that of PTSD in humans.

However, the effect may be more harmful for animals since they do not have the ability to rationalize their anxiety or the tools to help them respond to their fear, resulting in a more intense form of terror.

A meme circulating on Facebook urges: “Just a thought! Instead of buying fireworks buy two cans of pet food for a shelter animal. Don’t make a noise, make a difference!”

— Shemirah Brachah, Bethesda