The Washington Post - USA (2022-03-07)

A16 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.MONDAY, MARCH 7 , 2022

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

A be tter plan would be to continue that vital flow of weaponry while enabling Poland to send its available Soviet-vin- tage fighter aircraft to Ukraine for use by the latter country’s own pilots. The Unit- ed States would have to offset Poland’s transfers to Ukraine by supplying new U.S.-made planes. Secretary of State An- tony Blinken confirmed Sunday that the Biden administration would support this three-way exchange. To be sure, there are potential down- sides to this option, not the least being the fact that Russia has already destroyed key Ukrainian airfields. Also, Mr. Putin, who has already likened economic sanctions to a “declaration of war,” could treat aircraft transfers as a provocation. Re- cent history, however, shows that he will invent provocations even when the West shows restraint, and that Ukraine cannot be le ft at the mercy of Russian artillery. The right response therefore is to extend as much military aid to Ukraine as it can effectively use, without triggering nega- tive security consequences for Europe and the United States. The world now depends on the ability of the Biden administration and U.S. allies to strike that balance.

outright victory soon — might retain more than enough firepower to inflict devastation on Ukraine and its people for many more days or weeks. Something must be done to enable Ukraine to with- stand the onslaught and force Russia to accept a real cease-fire — as opposed to the phony local truces, intended to allow civilians to flee, which the Russians vio- lated over the weekend. The Biden administration has been wise to reject a NATO no-fly zone over Ukraine, even though one of the people who has called for it is Ukraine’s redoubt- able president, Volodymyr Z elensky. There would be no way to enforce such a measure without large-scale deployment of U.S. and other NATO aircraft, and their engagement in direct combat with Rus- sian forces. This would dramatically esca- late the war in pursuit of relatively mar- ginal benefits: most of the damage being done to Ukraine right now is from grou nd-launched artillery and missiles, not from high-explosive weapons deliv- ered by Russian aircraft. Indeed, Ukraine has already had some success shooting down helicopters and planes with its own arms, including mobile antiaircraft missiles supplied by NATO.

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NCE AGAIN, Russian President Vladimir Putin has asserted that his war against Ukraine is going according to plan. This time he said so in a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday, a ccording to an official Krem- lin report. His actions, though, belie this claim. Specifically, Mr. Putin has shut down the last vestiges of independent media in the country and ramped up threats of punishment for truthful re- porting such that Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty and other international media have been forced to suspend their operations in Russia. This is not what he would do if Russia’s invasion force had a good story to tell. Due to fierce Ukraini- an resistance, Russian troops failed to meet their commander in chief’s expecta- tion of swift victory and its combat meth- ods have degenerated into increasingly indiscriminate attacks against Ukraine’s people and civilian infrastructure. Mr. Putin’s war is not going well for him. For the United States, its NATO allies and all others in the world, the question now is how to make it go even worse. It’s a d oubly urgent question since Russia’s military — even if not headed for

Dangerous skies over Ukraine

A calibrated NATO response would work best to stifle Russia.

diverse in recent memory — including more representation of Blacks, Hispanics and low-income students — have now been put in jeopardy by a federal-court decision that has upended the admissions process. The 31-page ruling by Judge Claude M. Hilton, appointed by President Ron- ald Reagan and now on senior status, concluded the changes were an illegal act of “racial balancing.” What is given short shrift in the judge’s ruling is that the policy, as attorneys for the school board pointed out, was blind to race, gender and national origin. It jettisoned an anachronistic entrance exam and application fees that were barriers to economically disadvantaged students and put in place a holistic approach that emphasized student grade-point averages and advanced math requirements. Just as prestigious univer- sities have moved away from test scores as an absolute determinant of student ability, so did the Fairfax school board

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HE NATIONAL reckoning over race and inequality that followed the murder of George Floyd near- ly two years ago spurred the Fairfax County School Board to confront uncomfortable truths about Thomas Jef- ferson High School for Science and Tech- nology. While the school could boast about its national ranking as the No. 1 high school, it historically never came close to reflecting the racial and economic composition of the Northern Virginia communities from which it draws its students. A big part of the problem was an admissions process that gave the edge to students with r esources over students most in need — and also deserving — of expanded educational o pportunities. The board undertook a much-needed review and implemented an overhaul of the admissions process that sought to be more equitable without sacrificing aca- demic rigor. But the reforms, which resulted in a class of 2025 that is the most

seek to better de fine the metrics of merit. As for the argument that Asian Ameri- can students have been denied a level playing field, data compiled by the TJ Alumni Action Group, advocates for equity in the school’s admissions, showed that the percentage of Asian students admitted in the Class of 2025, measured against the number of Asian students who applied, is in line with historical trends going back at least 17 years. The debate in Fairfax County about diversity and merit is being played out in school districts across the country and, unfortunately, has been caught up in the ugliness that seeks to pit communities of color against each other. If Thomas Jef- ferson is to live up to its first-in-the- n ation ranking, it should not surrender to the old and unfair ways of student admission. The school board, which Fri- day announced it is requesting a stay of the judge’s order as it considers all its options, should appeal this wrong-headed decision.

Don’t give up the good fight

Despite a court decision, Fairfax’s school board should keep pushing for equity.

belman and his investigation is that he is far from alone. Republicans in multiple states have set up partisan reviews to re-litigate the 2020 election. The com- mon theme running through these ef- forts is that they aim to amplify and reinforce Mr. Trump’s lies about the election being stolen from him. They also serve as pretense for Republicans who seek to restrict access to voting, or possibly even to overturn legitimate votes in future elections. Some Republicans in Wisconsin made clear they wanted nothing to do with Mr. Gableman and his continuing ef-

forts. “Handing authority to partisan politicians to determine if election fraud exists would be the end of our republic as we know it,” Jim Steineke, the Assem- bly’s Republican majority leader, who is not seeking reelection, wrote on Twitter. But Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, among the most powerful Republicans in the state, said that Mr. Gableman’s work will continue. It’s time for the Wisconsin GOP to end the charade of this investigation. More importantly, it should denounce the lies that are chipping away at the public’s trust in American elections.

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HE REPUBLICANS behind Wis- consin’s investigation into the 2020 election have made little effort to hide their intentions. Many of those supporting the investigation have connections to the Trump campaign. Leading the investigation is former Wisconsin Supreme Court jus- tice Michael Gableman, no neutral arbi- ter but rather a man who told a group of supporters of former president Donald Trump in November 2020 that the election had been stolen. Asked last week if he had voted for Mr. Trump, he proudly declared: “You bet I did.” No surprise, then, that the 136-page draft report released last week by Mr. Gableman was full of debunked claims of misdeeds, accompanied by Mr. Gableman’s sug gestion to state lawmak- ers that they consider “decertifying” Wisconsin’s 2020 election results. That ridiculous suggestion, made during a state Assembly committee hearing, has no legal basis. Even Mr. Gableman conceded there would be no practical effect to such a move: Joe Biden is the president, and he can only be impeached or voted out of office. The antics of Wisconsin’s taxpayer- funded commission would be laughable if they weren’t so damaging to democra- cy. The report’s baseless theories of election wrongdoing and false asser- tions of conspiracies seek to undermine voter confidence in elections and erode the legitimacy of those who won public office. Consider, for example, how the report framed the work of an elections- focused nonprofit, the Center for Tech and Civic Life, which provided private grants to local election administrations to help them deal with the complica- tions of running an election during a pandemic. The report referred to five large Wisconsin cities that received funding as the “Zuckerberg 5” — Face- book executive Mark Zuckerberg con- tributed to the nonprofit — and likened the money to a form of bribery. In fact, most of Wisconsin’s counties received money from the nonprofit, and multiple lawsuits challenging the legality of the funding have been rejected in federal and state courts. What’s mo st troubling about Mr. Ga-

Abandon this charade

The Wisconsin GOP’s investigation into the 2020 election is a farce.

The United States’ decision to release 30 million barrels of oil from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a short-term solution to a long-term problem [“U.S., other nations tap oil reserves in response to high prices, invasion,” March 2, news]. As the world responds to Russia’s unwar- ranted and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, we must not forget that our overdependence on fossil fuels enables authoritarians such as Russian Presi- dent Vladimir Putin to wield oil as a weapon against our country and our allies. The higher energy prices caused by this conflict are further proof that we need to swiftly move to a 100 percent clean economy and flee the global, violent volatility of fossil fuels. Invest- ments in electric cars, trucks and buses, and the tax credits for clean-energy expansion — such as those touted by President Biden in his State of the Union address last week — will help accelerate the production of cheaper, cleaner energy in the United States that isn’t impacted by foreign supply chain dis- ruptions and conflicts overseas. Mr. Putin wants to wield oil as a weapon. It’s time to disarm him — not with more oil, but with more clean energy. Sarah Mason, Washington The writer is deputy executive director of Clean Energy for America.

It is no surprise that during a midterm election year, President Biden must include appealing to both sides of the party line as part of his political agenda. The solution to an inevitable spike in crude oil prices in the midst of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine should not be temporary gasoline tax cuts. In his State of the Union address, Mr. Biden said, “We’re the only nation on Earth that has always turned every crisis we’ve faced into an opportunity.” So then, why are we not turning the current crisis into an environmental opportunity? Instead of cutting gasoline taxes, which will only increase the rate of fossil-fuel consumption throughout the country, why are we not using this as an opportunity to economically incentivize the use of renewable energy? It is the responsibility of the president to continue striving for progress, and this should not include hypocritical and counterpro- ductive tax cuts that perpetuate climate issues. Alexandra Hoen, Washington

Think long-term on energy

After reading Brian Broome’s March 2 Wednesday Opinion column, “Why I don’t complain about racism to White people,” I want him to know that I am more than willing — nay, eager — t o know about the racism he has faced and to learn how he manages to abide it. I am also guessing that he might be endanger- ing himself and others with even a mild rebuke. Mr. Broome has to know that there are many White people who can feel that fear because of religion or gender, and not just from law enforcement but from neighbors and fellow citizens, and can understand. And there are many millions more who are empathetic and share the revulsion at such bigotry. Let us know, tell us, enlist us. We can resist together and work to change minds, hearts and attitudes. We can raise and welcome new generations who have not been tainted by bigotry and hate. But if we don’t hear about it, and we don’t talk about it, we can’t make it the exception rather than the rule. Helen Dalton, Potomac

Ready to enlist

I read “Four takeaways from president’s address, which ran hot and cold with GOP” [news, March 2] with a mix- ture of alarm and bemusement until I got to the paragraph where the important news revealed itself: “Biden still spoke to the priorities contained in Build Back Better.” Yes he did. Which echoes what I and so many others in the faith commu- nity have been hearing for months from Congress. From climate provisions to extending — ideally, permanently — the child tax credit, there is enormous energy and desire among members of Congress to pass some version of Build Back Better. The lamentable holdup thus far has been finding just the perfect balance to get 50 Senate votes. I and my colleagues at the Friends Committee on National Legislation are concerned about the 3.7 million children who fell into poverty in January after the expanded child tax credit expired. Presi- dent Biden can call his agenda what he likes. Or change its name each day. Just so long as he continues to push for the same outcomes he has been, and that so many in Congress and nationwide still want. We will happily take a rose by any other name. Amelia Kegan, Washington The writer is the domestic policy legislative director for the Friends Committee on National Legislation.

The name doesn’t matter

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EDITORIALS

JOHN HART/ASSOCIATED PRESS Michael Gableman, the Republican-hired investi gator reviewing the 2020 election, at the State Capitol in Madison, Wis., on March 1.

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support for law enforcement by members of the Democratic-controlled Arlington County Board. Virginia Republicans should call out the governor when he acts in such politically divisive ways, and not support him when he acts in this manner. Lawrence F. Padberg, Arlington

Regarding Virginia Gov. Glenn Young- kin’s (R) veto of a bill that would allow the Arlington County Board, rather than the county manager, to hire an auditor to investigate possible police misconduct [“Youngkin issues his first veto in office,” Metro, March 2]: The bill was widely supported in the General Assembly; it passed in the Re- publican-controlled House of Delegates on a 65-to-35 vote. Mr. Youngkin used a phony argument to veto the bill, claiming it would tear down police or subject them to politically motivated inquiries. The bill would provide greater independence for the auditor, an effort to reduce any appearance (or actual) pressure on the auditor to manage an investigation in a particular way. Mr. Youngkin’s statements and veto are examples of him seeking to create an appearance of partisanship and a lack of

Mr. Youngkin’s partisanship

DRAWING BOARD MICHAEL RAMIREZ

B Y MICHAEL RAMIREZ FOR THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

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The Washington Post - USA (2022-03-07)

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