Hits and misses on Sun’s opinion pages

I wish to address three items from The Baltimore Sun’s editorial pages.

First, I want to thank letter writer Louise Laurence (“How elections do impact everyday life (and why all should vote),” Oct. 8) for calling out Armstrong Williams’ take on religion and political elections. As a secular humanist, I agree wholeheartedly with her statement that it is good government, and not God, that ensures the passage of laws that benefit all citizens in our society. Separation of church and state is a fundamental principle as expounded by founder Thomas Jefferson, among others, and religion has no place therein.

The second item I wish to address is Peter Jensen’s column, “Peter Jensen: Stop normalizing Trump’s cruelty, hate and lies” (Oct. 8). Thank you, Mr. Jensen. As we get closer to the election on Nov. 5, it is the responsibility of our respected journalists to call out all of former President Donald Trump’s nastiness and deliberate misrepresentations of the issues and opponents that he does not agree with. This should happen every time he opens his mouth to denigrate others and spread dangerous lies. His base may believe everything he says, but there are other voters out here who are searching for real answers and the truth, and that’s what they deserve to hear.

My third concern comes back to Armstrong Williams and his column, “Armstrong Williams: Did Kamala Harris’ relationship with her father poison her perception of men?” (Oct. 9). What on earth is he thinking even attempting to speak to and analyze Vice President Kamala Harris and her very personal feelings toward her father? How can he know, and even more to the point why does he care? It is not relevant to her candidacy at all, unless Williams is trying to turn off the male voters that Harris seeks to appeal to.

I would also like to point out that contrary to being “poisoned” against men, she very wisely chose to marry Doug Emhoff, who is a decent man and a good husband and father. I think that demonstrates immense good judgment on her part.

— Deborah Couzantino, Glen Burnie

Gov. Moore needs to pick just one

Gov. Wes Moore’s promises remind me of when I would make my Christmas list. There were many things on it, and there was no way that Santa or anybody else would give me all of those things.

So, we have a $3 billion project for vacant houses, an extraordinarily expensive Red Line project with an already depleted Transportation Trust Fund, the enacted Blueprint for Maryland’s Future plan to improve our schools and, already, the looming state deficit threatens that program (“Maryland lawmakers urge continued spending on pre-K expansion, with no solutions yet to projected budget deficits,” Oct. 11).

The governor says tax increases are off the table which, given his promises, seems hard to believe.

So, Governor, you really have to pick one.

— Joseph “Jay” A. Schwartz III, Towson

People outside Baltimore have stake in Harborplace, too

I understand that decisions concerning land use in Baltimore are made by city residents. That is as it should be. It’s their land, their decisions. But when funding for those projects comes from state funds, that means the taxpayers of all of Maryland, not just the city, are shareholders in that decision. Why is it that only city residents get to vote on the Harborplace redevelopment issue (“Baltimore’s Harborplace ballot question votes will be counted, high court rules,” Oct. 10)?

My tax dollars are going to help pay for this project, so why aren’t we included in the voting process to either approve or reject the plan? As a taxpaying Baltimore County resident, I, too, should have a say on the Harborplace redevelopment issue.

I agree with Dan Rodricks that skyscraper towers have no place on our public park lands (“Dan Rodricks: Harborplace does not need 900 apartments to be a ‘great good place’ again,” Oct 1)!

I’ve lived in Baltimore County for more than 40 years. We go down to the Inner Harbor almost any chance we get. We’ve taken our children and grandchildren plus countless out-of-town guests there to the museums, ballparks and festivals. We’ve marveled at the tall ships and viewed our naval vessels during “Fleet Week.” Why would we go to see apartments?

Just like a diamond, our “gem” needs light to sparkle and shine. Surrounding the harbor with apartment towers will diminish its luster. A reduction in tourism is sure to follow!

— Marsha Perril, Owings Mills