If only they hadn’t settled with Fox News, democracy could have won
Re: “Dominion, Fox settle for $787M,” April 19 news story
Right now, large swathes of our country question our democracy and believe our current administration is illegitimate. At an open Fox-Dominion trial, Fox News executives and personalities, under oath, would have told our country that the presidential election was not stolen, that they never believed it was, that they did it for the money, and that the past president and his defenders had lied to them.
While the trial would have been over a defamation suit, it could have cleansed our society of the poison that now debilitates us. While Dominion had its own business reasons for settling the suit, the settlement is a great disservice to our country.
Steve Billig, Denver
Hospitals preparing for school mass casualty events
On March 22nd, a phone call interrupted our daily rounds on our hospitalized and critically ill pediatric patients. My colleague, a fellow physician, asked to pause our discussion, “That was the emergency room; there’s been a shooting at Denver East High School. They’re activating mass casualty protocol.” Silence and dread hung in the air as we were mentally going through all the tasks we needed to complete to prepare for a wave of critically ill children.
While that shooting was not the mass casualty event we were prepared for, it nonetheless raises the specter of fear of another act of mass violence in our community. There are solutions that our legislators have worked hard to push forward. Senate Bill 23-170, which is awaiting a signature on Gov. Jared Polis’ desk, will expand the population of people that can petition for Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) in Colorado. ERPOs allow law enforcement and spouses to keep guns out of the hands of people at risk of hurting themselves and others. The expansion of ERPOs allows for more people who take care of children to better protect this vulnerable population.
Early analysis has shown that ERPOs in Colorado, though not yet widely adopted, have been successful at temporarily preventing violence. By allowing individuals who are trained to identify the warning signs of violence and suicide to petition for ERPOs, we may be able to prevent more unnecessary acts of violence.
I urge Gov. Polis to sign it into law.
Joshua Kalter, Denver
The rights of law-abiding citizens
Re: “Gun culture, shooting culture,” April 19 letter to the editor
Why don’t you blame Democrat lawmakers for the crime in this nation? Citizens have the right to protect themselves in this crime-ridden country. How many crimes are committed by responsible gun owners and gun permit carriers? Until your lawmakers, especially the Democrats that control the House and the Senate here in Colorado, enforce the laws that we have, crime is never going to get better and citizens have the right to protect themselves.
Dennis Kurtz, Littleton
“The Color Purple” production “wows” at DCPA
All I can say is, “Wow!” If you haven’t seen “The Color Purple” at the Denver Center for Performing Arts yet, buy your tickets now (playing through May 7). It is spectacular.
Thank you to the DCPA for bringing such amazing energy and talent to Denver. The set and props are plain, allowing the acting and singing to shine that much more. The play evokes many emotions through the experience and growth of a young Black woman with the support and love of others. The entire cast is brilliant. Who needs to go to Broadway?
Beth McCann, Denver
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