Editor, Gazette-Journal:

This is written in response to a recent Gazette-Journal letter to the editor (“Looking back,” March 7 Readers Write).

In 2020, we did not have a secure border. The Department of Homeland Security was working to stop the spread of Covid-19. Legal entry points were closed to immigrants, and immigrants entering without authority to do so were not detained but were returned to their country of origin. In 2020 there were a total of 1,267,652 border crossings on both north and south borders. For comparison, there were 2,567,702 in 2017.

Regarding “energy independence” the phrase sounds like we were energy self-sufficient, which is false. We exported 3,400,000 barrels per day in 2020 and imported 2,700,000 barrels per day, because the shale oil we export is not the type of oil we can refine for domestic use.

Iran has been under U.S. sanctions since 1979. Backing out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action did not prevent Iran from gaining nuclear capability.

China has been under U.S. sanctions at various times since 1949. After trade sanctions were imposed on China in 2018 and 2019, American farmers suffered terribly when China importers took their purchasing power elsewhere. Of the $66 billion in tariffs collected by importers, $61 billion was paid out to keep American farmers from going bankrupt.

“We” had nothing to do with the shutdown of the “Russian pipeline.” Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 were sabotaged in 2022 by unknown forces and had not yet been supplying natural gas to Europe. There were 21 other pipelines supplying natural gas to Europe at the time.

In March of 2020, America was grappling with a new virus. People were panic buying everything. Wiping down your groceries with disinfectant became a reality to immunocompromised households. Nonessential airline travel ended. Gasoline dropped to $1.77/gallon because everyone who could stay home and work from home was doing that. People were dying at a rate that overwhelmed morgues, funeral homes and cemeteries. Refrigerated trucks became temporary cold storage for the dead.

Perhaps the writer is fearful of change, enjoys looking back to the past, imagining a better bygone era, and wanting to reverse time. I prefer embracing the challenges change brings, looking to a brighter future, and being a driving force toward creating a better America.

Sarajane Troxel
Gloucester, Va.