Imbalance needs an explanation

In the aftermath of the Highway 83 tragedy that killed a father and four of his children, one detail in the reporting stands out: Colorado officials initially withheld the name of the driver of the stolen vehicle “at the family’s request.”

This raises a serious question. Since when do families of criminal suspects have the authority to block or delay public identification? Colorado coroners routinely release the names of individuals involved in fatal incidents — especially when a violent felony, a stolen vehicle, and multiple deaths are involved. There is no recognized legal basis for a deceased suspect’s family to override public interest in a case of this magnitude.

Now that the individual has been identified as Walter C. Huling, 31, with an extensive criminal history, the original decision looks even more troubling. The public deserves to know whether this delay was an administrative courtesy, a political calculation, or an attempt to manage the fallout from a preventable tragedy.

The victims’ identities were released immediately — yet the suspect’s was withheld. That imbalance demands an explanation.

Jeffery Chandler

Colorado Springs

Send the National Guard home

Our nation’s founders expressed intense antipathy toward the idea of a “standing army.” Yet President Donald Trump has persisted in ignoring this originalist and textualist value by deploying National Guard Troops to many of our nation’s cities, including the capital.

Before this deployment, many Guard commanders voiced fear that two outcomes were likely: either a Guard member would shoot a civilian or the Guard would become the target of assassins. Sadly, the last scenario has come to pass.

The President’s response is to send more Guard members to D.C., expanding the number of personnel that could be exposed to attacks. Officers from the Washington Metropolitan Police Department are being pulled from other duties to protect the Guard. This is the height of folly. Guard members have been forced to leave families, homes, and employment, at huge expense to the taxpayers, with little to do other than stand around, pick up trash, and landscape public areas, not to mention become potential targets.

Yes, crime in D.C. is down, but nevertheless it continues, including at least two dozen homicides since the Guard was deployed. It is time to send them home to celebrate the holidays with their families.

Lorena Wilder

Falcon

Morality in leaders

John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” The writers of our Constitution assumed moral and religious leaders. They didn’t anticipate that someone would be elected that lacks morality or virtues such as honesty, courage, compassion, wisdom, generosity, temperance, and justice.

The founders studied ancient philosophers. Plato argued that virtues are essential for living an ethical life. The constitution alone, no matter how well-crafted, cannot secure the stability and prosperity of our nation without the active participation of virtuous citizens. Individuals can develop a moral framework based on reason and empathy, devoid of religion. of moral orientations. Cicero emphasized the importance of cultivating civic virtues, such as justice and courage, as essential for a good society. Aristotle believed that individuals should strive for excellence by practicing good habits such as honesty, justice, courage, and temperance. He also encouraged individuals to think about the moral implications of their decisions, rather than simply focusing on short-term gain.

People who strive to cultivate good virtues like courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom are better equipped to make decisions that reflect these values. For example, if someone is courageous, they may be more likely to take a stand in a difficult situation, even if it is unpopular or uncomfortable. Similarly, a person who has cultivated the virtue of justice may be better equipped to make decisions that are fair and equitable. If we cultivate these virtues within ourselves we can look for and demand them in our leaders. Also we must consider all perspectives and make sure our own biases do not unduly influence our thinking. We, and our government, can do better.

Bruce Brian

Black Forest.