Letters for July 2: Families of victims of the Virginia Beach massacre should file suit against Virginia Beach

File suit

Re “Victims’ fund would foster accountability for May 31 tragedy” (Other Views, June 24): Matthew Gayle wants the residents of Virginia to pay $40 million to hundreds of survivors and the families of victims of the May 31, 2019, Virginia Beach shooting. He states not a single victims’ family has filed a suit against the city. Yet, Gayle lays out all the failures by the city of Virginia Beach.

He states the families deserve accountability. I would agree. However, why didn’t Gayle file suit against Virginia Beach? Why didn’t any of the victims families file suit against Virginia Beach? It’s not fair for all the residents of Virginia to be held liable for the shortcomings of Virginia Beach. The General Assembly should not be considering paying this — period. Gayle says, “It is an outrage that we have been forced to request it from the commonwealth because the city has failed us as it failed our loved ones.” I recommend Gayle hire an attorney and file suit against Virginia Beach.

Robert Simmons, Williamsburg

Appropriate it

Re “Virginia budget talks break down” (June 29): Gov. Glenn Youngkin and the GOP want to give rebates and make changes to the state’s tax brackets and tax structure. Why? Virginia has so many needs for the surplus money: for instance, roads and highways, flood control, police training, enforcement, mental health and beach erosion. The state government could also help out some schools some more and increase Medicaid to those who could use the help.

There are so many helpful ways this money can be used. What is with Republicans wanting to cut the corporate tax rate? Doesn’t Youngkin tout new businesses are coming to Virginia? With businesses coming to Virginia, do they need a tax break? Tax breaks and refunds are nice, but they are short-lived benefits. Let’s go for long-haul benefits. Bottom line, there are a lot of needs in Virginia that the budget surplus could help.

Tom Wester, Virginia Beach

Wrong move

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision on affirmative action. Not long after our president appeared on television to express his displeasure with the decision. I was disappointed by the destructive nature of President Joe Biden’s comments for an already beleaguered institution that has the lowest confidence level by polled Americans since the polling of that question began.

One would have thought a good president would’ve come out and said something to the effect that the court’s final decision is the end of the line in our constitutional republic system of government and, whether we agree with it or not, we as Americans need to believe in and support the system.

After all, that’s what I do when the Supreme Court of the United States makes a decision I don’t agree with. But that’s not what our president did. He trashed the decision and then disparaged the court itself, and declared the court as “not a normal court.”

The Supreme Court of the United States has tilted politically left before. Now that the Supreme Court of the United States tilts right, it’s not normal? Biden frequently says that the United States is still a racist country. Is it any wonder that after our young people hear our current leadership repeatedly and routinely rate the United States as low that military recruiting levels remain a challenge? Why would any young person want to serve and then defend such a “racist, worthless country.” It’s time our leadership looked in the mirror for the answer to that question.

Stephen Davis, Virginia Beach