Jennifer Kiggans

Stars and Stripes

Especially for this community, our attention to administration efforts to change or remove inconvenient history and information has to note the announced retirement of the publisher of Stars and Stripes, Max Lederer Jr.

S&S was the creation in 1861 of Union soldiers who took over an abandoned Missouri newspaper office and published their own. By World War I, it had become a crucial forum for the background reporting and discussion of war and peace among all parties, including European civilians.

In World War II, its range and effect was extended into American literary life as a prime source of what we could know about the war that was being fought in our name, and it produced some of the icons of American reporting and writing.

In current times, its archive has been a remarkable source for those like myself who write about the history of war. And some of its staff have naturally included members of the historic journalism community of Hampton Roads.

Lederer followed others at Stars and Stripes who could not accept attempts by the Defense Department to strike at the core of journalism in fulfillment of an agenda. “My understanding of the value and mission of Stars and Stripes, differ[s] in fundamental ways from the direction the leadership of the Department of Defense has for the organization,” which, in my view, is toward the manipulation of information and history to strike at the core of democracy.

Chris Dickon, Portsmouth

Reelect Kiggans

Re “The circus” (Your Views, Aug. 14): I disagree with the letter writer’s name-calling. As a resident of the 2nd Congressional District who attends many of our representative’s events, I’d like to add my 2 cents worth.

U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans is absolutely not President Donald Trump’s “puppet.” She has kept us extremely informed on her discussions with him on a variety of topics, some of which she disagreed with, and they, as two extremely intelligent individuals, mutually agreed on a final decision as to what was best for our beloved America. They both love our country.

We never saw the former U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria out and about like Kiggans. I believe Luria failed our 2nd District, therefore we voted her out. Please educate yourself. I know Kiggans is truthful and has worked tirelessly for us and we didn’t get that from Luria. My brother was a highly decorated Navy Seal officer who didn’t earn it sitting behind a desk. He said Luria was a desk sitter. Kiggans flew a helicopter during war and, I believe, she deserves our respect. Kiggans deserves to be reelected.

Robyn G. Johnson, Virginia Beach

Not listening

As a member of the House of Representatives, U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans should know that the United States cannot declare war on another country without congressional approval.

Shouldn’t she have stood up and said, “We are breaking the law of our Constitution. We have to vote on this.”

Silence. That same silence is evident by her refusal to hold any town hall meetings to answer constituents’ questions. Nor has she ever answered any of my several emails.

She is either not upholding the Constitution or ignoring it.

Who is she listening to? Certainly not us.

Marjorie Galeota, Virginia Beach