Tri-City Herald letters on human trafficking, assault weapons and open U.S. borders | Opinion

A chance to learn about trafficking

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Human sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation or soliciting of a person for the purposes of a commercial sex act induced by force, fraud or coercion or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age — force, fraud, or coercion does not need to occur. Some risk factors can include frequent running away, homelessness, being malnourished, or having access to more money than usual.

If you are concerned about someone potentially being trafficked, it is important to maintain compassion, know of local resources for support and to report your suspicions. The Support, Advocacy & Resource Center (SARC) will be providing opportunities for individuals to participate in awareness events to learn more about this important topic. Join us on Jan. 19 at the Gjerde Center at Columbia Basin Collage from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for our trafficking awareness event in which you can listen to a panel of experts, walk through a bedroom simulation of potential trafficking signs and talk to advocates about the work they do. If you have questions, or want to know how to get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact SARC at 509- 374-5391.

Samantha Yates, Richland

Look at statistics on assault rifles

Look at the statistics — Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson spouting off over these so-called “assault weapons.” Lest I forget, “anything” used to attack any individual to do bodily harm is an assault weapon — baseball bat, hammer, rock, knife, etc.

In Washington for 2019, there were 135 murders with firearms, of which 5 were rifles of unknown types. Rounding that out means .037% of the murders were by rifles. The factual data illustrates the utter fallacy of Inslee’s and Ferguson’s “opinion” vs. facts. There’s zero data to show a particular type/style of weapon was used.

Inslee and Ferguson have continually harangued the Second Amendment and lawful gun owners for years. If either of them were truly interested in the public they claim to serve, they would be looking at ways to keep criminals in jail instead of letting them merry-go-round through the justice system.

Take note when shootings occur. The media rarely, if ever, states, “a lawful gun owner.” It’s most always a criminal.

Gee, I wonder why that is?

Dan Deckert, Benton City

Open borders is Globalist plan

I am writing this at the time of the Supreme Court putting a pause on Title 42. The southern border between the U.S. and Mexico is largely an open border. This is no coincidence as globalization calls for ultimate free movement of goods and people across borders.

The reality of the executive branch of government opening the border to anyone who desires to come to the U.S. is exercising the Globalist plan. A nation without enforced border policy and security is effectively a nation without borders. The flow of people from all over the world into this country is an abuse of presidential power to the highest order.

The immigrants coming to our borders should not be faulted for their efforts as they are merely seizing the opportunity afforded by the Biden Administration. However, what is happening within the country is tragic and criminal as drug usage and deaths have exploded, cities are in crisis due to the influx of immigrants, human trafficking and exploitation of all types are occurring, and local and state resources are being exhausted.

For these reasons and more, the failure of the Biden Administration to secure our borders should be an impeachable offense.

Rodney Nelson, Richland

Editor’s note: The Biden Administration wanted to keep Title 42 in place. The courts have rejected appeals to do that.