TNT letters: Science in politics; Turning on Trump after Jan. 6; crime plan in Tacoma

Politics and science

I just had a thought: The government of the United States likes to claim (although we all know it’s not true) that there’s a separation between church and state.

I wonder why we can’t try to make a push for the government to also have a separation between politics and science. Because politics has a nasty way of screwing up science and I would argue that modern scientific ethics are far superior than the ethics seen in politics.

I mean, if the Donald Trump era and the current Supreme Court are any hint to how corruptible and morally bankrupt politicians are, then I don’t know what is.

Just like there’s supposed to be a separation between church and state in government, there should also be a separation between science and politics in government.

Daniel Bennett, Lakewood

Make America Great Again?

I can understand how Donald Trump has been able to channel people’s anger and bitterness. Many people don’t like the muzzle of political correctness, don’t accept non-traditional sexuality, think big government and global corporations are harmful and think the media is biased. Trump is a master at legitimizing that anger and galvanizing it into support.

I cannot understand how Mr. Trump’s supporters can look at the events before and on Jan. 6 as being consistent with “Make America Great Again.”

Trump knew there was no stolen election. He pressured Vice President Mike Pence to illegally stop the certification. He pressured state officials to present false slates of electors to Congress. He refused to stop a riot at the Capitol for three full hours. How is refusing to accept actual electoral defeat; continually lying about election results, pressuring others to support his lies and refusing to stop a violent riot making America great?

No matter what Trump supporters initially believed, those events should make them turn away.

Robert Saunders, Steilacoom

Snake River dams

I am very much in favor of saving our precious salmon of the Pacific Northwest. However, we should be able to do this and still gain the power that is available from using the hydro energy of the Snake River dam system.

There has to be a reasonable way where we can accomplish this goal and still save the salmon.

Ken Castile, Lake Tapps

Tacoma crime plan

Tacoma Police Chief Avery Moore’s plan to reduce violent crime in the City of Destiny sounds plausible, thoughtful and fair. While I would have preferred local criminologists at the University of Washington Tacoma to be the chief architects of the plan instead of academic researchers from University of Texas at San Antonio, I’m willing to give the Texas academics the benefit of the doubt on this important topic.

Plans to reduce violent crime come with risk, cost and the probability of failure. It would be wise for Chief Moore and his team of dedicated law enforcement professionals to always remember the wisdom about “plans” offered by the pugilist and philosopher Iron Mike Tyson: “Everybody has a plan, until they get hit in the mouth.”

What is the Chief’s plan when the city gets hit in the mouth?

Bill Dickens, University Place