Letters to the Editor

Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels is such a major asset to our community. Even though I have been aware of the organization for years and previously made donations, reading their statistics in your June 13 article was a real eye opener. It is important to know that Meals on Wheels, a non profit, does not receive any government money for its programs including for their new campaign to serve veterans. There are so many worthy causes vying for donations, but I hope others will be inspired, as I am, to send a donation to Meals on Wheels in Long Beach today.

Heddy Niemeyer

In response to the article by reporter Daniel Pineda, I have volunteered for Meals on Wheels Long Beach (MOWLB), have observed how effectively, and efficiently, this program operates and the gratitude of the individuals it serves.

MOWLB receives no financial support from the government, so donations from Long Beach residents are critically important. We will donate today, in the envelope we received from MOWLB by mail, last week.

If you’d like to join us contributing, its mailing address is: Meals on Wheels Long Beach, P O Box 15688, Long Beach CA 90815.

Moira Hahn

Superman?

Look, up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane—but it sure ain’t Robert Garcia.

The Robert Garcia who built his whole brand around being an immigrant, the Robert Garcia who so identifies with Superman that he wanted to be sworn into office with his hand on a Superman comic book – where is he now? As people are being attacked by ICE for the “crime” of maybe being an immigrant, of maybe having darker skin, or of maybe speaking a different language; as families are being torn apart—where is Robert Garcia?

He’s on TV! On political talk shows, he’s doing what he does best: talking. When asked about the immigration crisis, he announces such deep thoughts and perceptive insights as “we have to do something” and “everybody should oppose it,” once more celebrating his passion for the obvious.

And where else is he now? On June 24, he was elected to the prestigious position of ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, continuing his never-ending quest for fame and glory, using each position he gains as a stepping stone to the next, to Hell with what his constituents might need – and this from the man who accuses Trump of “just trying to amass more power”!

Look in the mirror, Mr. Garcia; and while you’re at it, maybe stop talking, show up and actually do something. Superman would.

Meanwhile, people are hiding in their homes, afraid to venture out for fear of being scooped up by federal agents; businesses are failing, venues are empty, and there is a general feeling of fear permeating our communities. Robert Garcia was elected to serve, and so far the only one being served is Robert Garcia. Instead of just the letter S on his Superman shirt, his version needs a B in front of the S!

So much for truth, justice, and the American way. Robert Garcia as ranking member of the House Oversight Committee? Nah, this looks like a job for somebody else.

Merry Colvin

Crusader for Human Rights

A recent letter in the Beachcomber suggested that George Soros wants to dismantle law and order, feeding into the false conspiracy theories about Soros, the internationally known billionaire philanthropist.

As someone who has been involved with human rights issues worldwide, with 40 years as a caseworker for Amnesty International and as a Hungarian-American, like Soros, I have not seen any credible evidence that Soros is up to no good. Quite the contrary.

Since the 1980s he has been advocating and investing his own fortune to build democratic civic society groups and NGOs in the former Communist countries in Eastern Europe, to help avoid future dictatorships and authoritarian strongmen.

While both Soros and I were born in Budapest, he managed as a Jew to survive Nazi-occupied Hungary and left his country in 1947 when he was 17 years old. My family, on the other hand, fled Hungary in 1956 when I was 6 years old after a failed uprising against the dictatorial government supported by the Soviet Union.

In 1979, Soros invested his own money in the Open Society Foundation and in 1990 (after the fall of the Berlin Wall) he invested more than $12 billion, founding the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest. During this period, he attracted not only admirers but also some enemies, primarily corrupt politicians, authoritarian leaders, nationalist groups, as well as anti-Sematic organizations.

Ironically, one of those leaders is Hungary’s current Prime Minister Viktor Orban. As an up-and-coming young leader, Orban, received a one-year scholarship to Pembroke College, Oxford, England, courtesy of the Open Society Foundation – just as Hungary transitioned to a democracy

However, whether he changed his political views over time, or as my Hungarian uncle would say about Hungarian politicians, “We only have opportunist in Hungary.” He is now one of the corrupt politicians.

He and his party, “FIDESZ” have been attempting to disassembly democratic institutions, like the CEU, which was forced to move to Vienna, Austria and Orban continues to demonize Soros. On a recent trip to Hungary as I was leaving the airport, I came face-to-face with a giant billboard depicting Soros and admonishing me not to “let this man tell you what to do.” My taxi driver also confirmed to me that not a day goes by without the radio or television reporting a government problem that is blamed on Soros.

Now American conservatives and nationalist groups are claiming that Soros is inciting violence against the police and paying demonstrators. Don’t fall for their lies.

Peter Somssich, Former
NH State Representative