In letters: Donald Trump insults Lesotho — and tries to tie a big red bow on tariffs | Opinion

Trump’s ‘frat boy’ comments

About 55 years ago I spent four years in the kingdom of Lesotho as a Peace Corps volunteer. I acknowledge that when I received my assignment I had to look the country up since I had no knowledge of it. In my years there I found the people to be kind, courteous and respectful of others. They greeted each other with the word peace (Khotso). They tolerated my Sesotho (their language) and were always helpful to me with the horse and pack mule I used to get around to the mountain schools, sharing feed and pasture. Their history is truly remarkable.

People with common sense, decency and respect for others do not unnecessarily insult and belittle others. Our president’s frat boy comments about Lesotho in his state of the union address shame us all.

It may be true that most have never heard of Lesotho but that is not a reason to use the fact to belittle the country and its people. Often the truth is not an excuse for a complete lack of decency.

We should be proud to join with other countries and nonprofit organizations to provide food and medicines to the Basotho for without such aid many would starve and many would die unnecessarily.

Steve Belasco

San Luis Obispo

Rule by fear

President Franklin D. Roosevelt reassured Americans during the horrors of WW ll that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Trump’s approach is different. His message is this: Be very afraid, I am coming to get you. I am taking your jobs, your reproductive rights, your health and your belief in the safety of our three branches of government.

He uses fear to control the Republican Party. Billionaires do his bidding. Donald Trump represents the success of power and money over all aspects of our American way of life. Who will have the courage to stand up to him?

Susan Case

Nipomo

Democracy for sale

A narcissist, liar, sociopath, felon, misogynist, racist, money worshipper with alley cat morals...the list goes on. Trump is the guy approximately 50% of Americans chose to lead our country. The abusive dad over the strong, nurturing mother.

In less than two months, Trump, Musk and a largely unqualified cabinet have eliminated thousands of federal jobs as part of their efforts to dismantle essential programs such as healthcare, public education and USAID, which combats global poverty and disease. This ongoing job loss not only increases unemployment, but also affects families now facing financial insecurity.

Recent abhorrent, immoral decisions include: 1) Prostituting our American citizenship by selling $5 million gold cards toward citizenship to the world’s wealthy (money over values).

2) The embarrassing, bullying White House meeting televised with Trump and Vance clearly shows the U.S. now supports Putin over democracy. Abusive dad coercing boy toy Vance to play along. Volodymyr Zelensky, the hero of our democracy, refused to be bullied.

Our allies don’t trust us. The only people we are “Making America Great Again” for are the dictators of the world.

Everyone who voted for Trump shares the responsibility. “Christians” who sold their soul to MAGA and Trump will have to justify all this world suffering on Judgment Day. Or perhaps you can have Daddy Trump offer a deal to Jesus to trade your soul back for $5 million. However, don’t count on Jesus buying your soul back. Money is of no value to him.

Gary Zanini

San Luis Obispo

State of shock

My, my, I watched the president’s harangue Tuesday night. In a state of shock (a gross understatement) since he took office and began to fire off ridiculous executive orders and ignore court orders; I wasn’t hopeful. What I witnessed was a miserable used-car salesman tie a big red bow on an old clunker (tariffs) and call it America’s savior. No doubt it will make us millions! Unsurprisingly, he failed to mention the dents and check engine lights (problems like inflation, the rich vs. poor, and where the money will come from and go).

In a former life I led new product projects for a multinational company. To turn projects into products, I had to work with scientists and business units from many disciplines. Our president’s approach to reshaping the government — shaking all the pieces out of a bag and throwing them on the floor, then picking up the ones he wants — never works.

It’s failed time and again. The only way to consistently achieve a good endpoint is hard. Bring all the disciplines together as a team and work toward an agreed outcome, as each issue arises. No one gets their way. It’s consensus.

Congratulations, you voted for him.

Mike Broadhurst

Cambria

Judge LaBarbera did the right thing

The recent criticism of Judge LaBarbera is completely off base. Barry LaBarbera is an experienced and well respected judge on our local court.

Contrary to the criticism, it is the norm for counsel defense to surrender their client in court — if they can beat the arrest warrant. One defense attorney stated that if he could voluntarily walk his client into court, he had a good chance of walking him out.

It is difficult for a judge to remand a defendant as a flight risk who has voluntarily come into court to face the charges. In-court surrender also saves the sheriff the time, expense and risk of arresting the defendant and transportation after.

There was no favoritism. Judge LaBarbera handled this case as most similar cases are handled.

Barry Hammer

Pismo Beach

Editor’s Note: Barry Hammer is a retired San Luis Obispo Count Superior Court judge.

Rudest of receptions

My heart goes out to Volodymyr Zelensky, president of Ukraine, who having been invited to the White House was horribly bullied by our President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance. This was unprecedented in U.S. politics. Every other president in my lifetime since the 1950s has had a modicum of communication skills and cordiality.

Ukraine has gone through a war of three years, an onslaught from much bigger country, Russia. Zelensky deserves nothing but the kindest treatment for what he and his country have endured. Trump and Vance and almost all of us here have no concept of what it’s like to live through a war.

Yet Trump and Vance treated Zelensky like they were bullies on the junior high playground. Trump lorded over him with his bulked-up size, while Zelensky tried to stand up to him.

Trump kept shaking his index finger at Zelensky, another bully gesture. Vance chastised Zelensky for not wearing a suit and tie, saying he did not show proper respect for them and America.

Neither Trump nor Vance allowed Zelensky to finish a sentence, rudely interrupting him continually. The whole show made me cringe as our heads of state kept berating the “little guy,” who appeared astounded that he should receive such ill-mannered treatment than when he visited during Biden’s administration and was warmly welcomed. I remember smiles all around during the Biden visit, and especially that of Zelensky. Instead, this time Zelensky slunk out of the room with dejected face, having been told to leave by Trump.

Gayle Cuddy

Arroyo Grande

This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM.