Letters: Trump voters apparently no longer care about right and wrong

Although Donald Trump said the 2020 election was stolen, Attorney General William Barr publicly stated there was no evidence supporting the election fraud claim. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also urged colleagues to accept Joe Biden’s win.
Many people still believe the one who represents their views, their character, their values and their morals is Trump. His lies make their beliefs become truths.
Willful ignorance is nothing new. However, over the past several years, it completely overshadowed two important elections as a growing number of voters apparently no longer cared what was right, what was wrong, what was fact or what was fiction. They no longer cared what was truth.
Large segments of the country only cared about that which supported their preferred biases and view of the world. Through the numerous social media feeds, they then shared that willful ignorance freely and knowingly.
Through social media, contagion has taken over, creating a dangerously divisive mob mentality, a mob with no conscience — only a preferred outcome.
It has become amazingly easy to create something fake and have it embraced as truth. If you create it, they will read it, share it and staunchly support it. Even if it’s all one big lie (just as long as it’s their lie).
When highly questionable content is challenged, willful ignorance typically turns a blind eye and a deaf ear. They continue to share the content, because it’s what they want to believe and — more importantly — what they want others to believe, because that somehow validates their belief.
The irony is that those supporting and practicing willful ignorance often claim they are patriots; i.e., “true Americans,” taking actions to improve the country. The reality is that the only America they’re trying to improve is the one they want, not necessarily the one where they live.
Willful ignorance has no place in our society. It does exactly what the content originators want it to do — divide us. Doing so takes the collective power of the people and puts it in the hands of a few.
Steven Pesek, St. Augustine
The name of Shad Khan’s new mega yacht — Kismet — means fate or destiny. In addition to the vanity and narcissism of the name, it is ironic. More than 400 feet long, the boat is Khan’s temporary abode in Jacksonville, a place whose own kismet is apparently the antithesis of Khan’s.
Jacksonville continues to be a sprawling municipality with a decrepit downtown where many locals fear to visit. Basically an overgrown town with crime and poverty rates that match those of far larger cities, its public school system faces chronic underfunding, massive overcrowding and huge teacher shortfalls.
It’s also a place where city leaders have, out of undue deference to a corporation (the Jacksonville Jaguars), inexplicably agreed to supplement Khan’s ever-growing wealth by putting taxpayer dollars into renovating the football stadium where his franchise plays. Yet, Khan doesn’t even own a home here.
As the media celebrates this ostentatious show of personal wealth, it’d be nice if they and Jacksonville citizens stop to consider what it represents.
To put Kismet into perspective, the cost of the boat — excluding the costs of fuel, maintenance and its 35-member crew — could pay for:
In short, consider Jacksonville’s neighborhoods, the myriad challenges the city faces and what an investment of $360 million might do to help ameliorate them. None of these ideas would even tap into how much Khan’s net worth grows each year.
There can be no doubt that Khan and the Jaguars give back to the city in numerous ways. That largesse, however, is belied by Khan’s idea of kismet.
John White, Atlantic Beach
The new “sleeping in public” state law (HB 1365) passed by the Florida Legislature was meant to reduce the impact of homeless people camping wherever they like, which is a positive step. While not all homeless people are ready to be housed, camping in highly visible areas has a negative impact on community quality of life.
In an urgent effort to meet the basic requirements of the law by Jan. 1, 2025, such as providing a shelter bed for anyone interested, the Jacksonville City Council will consider 2024-0888 by emergency vote on Nov. 26. This would increase the bed capacity by 110 at three overnight shelters in a small area of downtown — west of Hogan Street and east of Lee Street.
This area of downtown is already saturated with problems related to the hundreds of shelter beds already there. Once the bill is approved, if a homeless person is camping in another area of Jacksonville and does not want to be arrested, they will be relocated to this same part of the city.
Funneling people with significant problems into one small section of the city equals bad results for that specific area. Keep in mind this is the same area that is being targeted for revitalization by the development community. So this initiative appears counterproductive to that effort.
Note that the Urban Rest Stop is the main day and resource center for homeless people during the day, but is on the other side of downtown from these new shelter beds.
2024-0888 is an expeditated effort to avoid litigation, but without a more comprehensive approach that includes scattered site low barrier housing, affordable housing and professional wraparound services, the unintended consequence is that problems will increase in the very area being invested in by our city and downtown champions.
Bill Hoff, Springfield
I want to thank the Times-Union for the fine front-page tribute to Joe Roland on Nov. 9.
Matt Soergel and Scott Butler captured Joe’s excellent character and spirit in a way that showed him to be one of the finest athletes in the history of this area and a true gentlemen.
I first met Joe in the mid-1960s, when he was about 12. He and his brothers were out surfing in Atlantic Beach. Even with his superb talent, he was a simple, humble person who grew into adulthood to become a world-class surfer and later, a fine husband and father.
I am sorry that the paper was not able to cover the U.S. Air Force Super Girl Pro 4th annual surf contest. This well-run contest honored Jacksonville Beach by hosting 96 of the top female surfers from around the world, including the Netherlands, Canada, French Polynesia, Hawaii and Samoa.
Joan Jett performed live and other events included lacrosse, volleyball, skateboarding and a workshop for young surfers.
The ocean provided large, nasty and very challenging conditions with wave faces reaching up to 8 feet at times. The women showed an incredible level of poise and talent that included winner Kirra Pinkerton’s spectacular 10-point ride in the semi-finals, the first such ride in the contest’s history.
Bill Longenecker, Neptune Beach
The Nov. 8 article about the agreement between Shad Khan and the Jacksonville Fair, as well as the pictures of his new 400-foot mega yacht, seem to fly in the face of the Jacksonville citizenry. It begs the question: Why is the city planning to spend close to $1 billion on stadium renovations when it is evident Khan could easily fund the project himself?
It’s not too late for the city to take a second, closer look at the agreement and open it up for renegotiation. Sell the stadium to Khan — as is — lock, stock and barrel. The city retains ownership of the ground beneath it and leases it back to Khan, who can redesign, renovate and rebuild as he sees fit.
This is not a unique idea. Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, just built a new home arena for his mediocre team (and paid for it himself). This way, when Khan is finished being “Mr. Jaguar” he can sell the team, the stadium and move on.
The city will also have the funds for much-needed community improvement projects — as it should be.
Mary R. Slattery, Jacksonville
I was alarmed to read that many people didn’t vote in the last election, at least 21% in Florida alone. Now Donald Trump — a felon — will return to the White House.
He also faces millions of dollars in fines for defaming a woman the jury concluded he bullied; engaged in fraud associated with a charity and a university; refused to return classified documents; inspired people to attack U.S. Capitol police and then claimed that he would pardon the attackers.
Not voting is a defeatist attitude. Please be ready to vote out any legislators who embolden Trump to enrich himself and harm our country. Read Project 2025 and see which items you agree with and which ones you don’t. Some of it can’t be done without Congress.
If they vote for things you don’t like, you can vote them out.
Susan Aertker, Jacksonville