Louisiana has taken on an authoritarian look

It appears that Louisiana is intent not only on keeping its women under control (abortion denial) but also on establishing governance based on religious law (“Thou shalt not make a fuss about Ten Commandments,” June 25). This sure sounds familiar. I would suggest that the state should also change its name to Louisianastan.

— N.L. Bruggman, Jarrettsville

Trump’s debate performance a bigger fail

Candy Woodall’s recent column, “Should Biden be running for reelection” (June 28), missed the point. After spending most of her time focusing on President Joe Biden’s age, she concludes, “We won’t be able to solve our biggest problems as long as we’re focusing on Biden’s age.” I agree that Biden had a bad night. After having taught high school students and college undergraduates for several decades, it would not be surprising to see any of us have a bad day — presidents are no exception. However, I would suggest Woodall use a different rubric to judge which candidate had “a disastrous debate.”

When I evaluate competence, I look to see if my students understand the question and then actually answer it with focus, truthfulness and integrity. It’s common sense that I like to believe most of us would agree with. Using this rule, perhaps Woodall would see which candidate exhibited the maturity and courage to address the issue at hand and answer the questions posed. Former President Donald Trump’s performance in Atlanta was the actual disaster.

— Jerald Brown, Upperco

A coastal wind farm is a beautiful sight

As a visitor to Block Island, Rhode Island last summer, I thought the offshore wind farm fascinating and beautiful (“Coastal communities need offshore wind turbines,” July 2). I didn’t know they had one before my visit so I was pleasantly surprised to learn it powered the island.

The small wind farm became part of the attraction. Bravo to Block Island.

— Beth Plein, Cockeysville

Trump’s outreach to Morin family just another con

One thing mentioned in the recent article, “Immigration, Harford County homicide loom over Thursday’s debate between Trump, Biden” (June 27), was that former President Donald Trump reached out to the family of Rachel Morin, the Maryland woman killed by an immigrant. This was the most self-serving gesture on his part apparently done to get recognition in this election year as well as needing something to say about himself during the debate.

Trump had four years to pass a border bill and failed to do so. How many families who will never see their children again because they were separated at the border received phone calls? How many of the families who lost loved ones to the Jan. 6 insurrection received phone calls? How many military coffins were greeted at Dover Air Force Base and how many of their families received phone calls? How many families who lost loved ones to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge received phone calls from Trump? This so-called empathetic phone call is another sham on his part.

— W. Rogers, Baltimore

Alley cats got dissed

When President Joe Biden said during the presidential debate on CNN that former President Donald Trump had “the morals of an alley cat,” did he realize that he was insulting alley cats everywhere (“Who won the debate? Key highlights and lowlights from Biden vs. Trump,” June 27)?

— Jon Jacobson, Lutherville

Stop defaming alley cats

I just finished reading Candy Woodall’s column describing the presidential debate and I must write in defense of alley cats (“Who won the debate? Key highlights and lowlights from Biden vs. Trump,” June 27).

No alley cat — including mine which we adopted at 4 months — would ever be as immoral as former President Donald Trump. Alley cats do not lie and discriminate and encourage hate. Their morals are impeccable compared to Trump.

— Betsy Schindler, Baltimore

US must continue to support Israel

I believe that it is important for the United States to continue supporting Israel in its war against Hamas. Supporting Israel is important because the land belongs to the Jewish people and if we stop funding Israel they may lose to the Hamas forces (“Resilience and Accessibility: Addressing the Rising Disability Needs in Israel,” June 5).

This would be a devastating outcome to the Jews and the whole world. I urge our elected officials at all levels of government to do what they can to support Israel in these desperate times.

— William Sharpless, Reisterstown