This week, we asked readers for their opinions on rising gas prices amid the ongoing war with Iran.

 

For further context on the various respondents’ comments, please also read our full editor’s note further below.

 

“I’m a person who’s really for the people so gas is too high, but not for me, personally, because I drive cars. I’ve got a lot of cars. I have high-end cars, but gas is really high. I put $60 in my tank and it’s not filling it up. Usually, $40 will fill up the tank and it will go to the max. For me, it’s not a problem, but for the drivers of the 18-wheeler trucks because their gas is going from $800 to $1,500 or $1,600. Why are you making people pay that much money for gas? The war with Iran was the worst thing they could have ever done. You’re bombing them and they did nothing wrong to anybody.”

Dajun Knowles,

Norwood

“Yes, the gas prices now are hurting my wallet, very much. The prices have been very high lately so it’s kind of like my project is messed up. The entire situation with the government is affecting everything in the U.S. When I buy food and pay for my health insurance, at the end of the month, I’m short. Whatever money I’m spending on gas is taking away from my other bills. I don’t think the war with Iran is justified. They have weapons, but I can’t talk about it because I just know what’s been on the news and I haven’t seen any proof. They should put out any proof that they have to make us all aware.”

Wilmar Lopez,

Tremont

“As a father of two young kids, the rising gas prices is frustrating because every extra dollar at the pump takes away money that should be going towards groceries, childcare, rent and everyday bills. Working families are already doing everything they can to stay afloat, and these constant increases just make it harder to keep up. It’s disappointing to see the choices being made by this administration because at the end of the day, hardworking Americans are the ones paying the price. People who commute to work, take their kids to school, and work long hours are feeling the impact every single week at the pump. Families need relief and policies that help lower costs instead of adding more financial pressure.”

Emilio Lopez,

Bedford Park

“I think it’s ridiculous! We control a lot of the oil, but I don’t think it’s because of the war, because the gas prices were high before the war. I’ve gone to different stations and see they have different prices, and most of these stations are owned privately, so they can raise it to whatever they want. California has $8 a gallon. They are price gouging without a doubt. The bombing of Iran was inevitable; it was going to happen, but I also tell everybody we’re living with sleeper cells at the delis, the gas stations, and the halal places are all Muslims, and they’re radicals. Whenever somebody dies, they’re cheering about it, [that] the bombing was justified.”

Oscar Zalzivar,

Fordham

“Bombing Iran is none of our business. To me, they are no threat to us.  The World Trade Center attack was a threat to us. My husband died in the World Trade Center, and the gas prices? If you want to own a car in this country, you pay high gas prices and you shouldn’t be complaining about gas prices because driving is a privilege. Because when you go to other places, you don’t always have that privilege. “

Carlos Concepción,

Allerton

 

Editor’s Note: Official intelligence assessments from the U.S. and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) indicate that Iran does not currently have a dedicated, structured weapons program and has not mastered all the technologies required to construct a detonable device.

 

According to the U.S. Congress, under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran’s uranium enrichment was heavily restricted. Following the collapse of the nuclear deal and subsequent international military actions against Iranian nuclear sites, Iran officially ended the 2015 restrictions. Iran has continued to process and stockpile enriched uranium, which can be further refined to weapons-grade levels.

 

Since 9/11, jihadist-inspired attacks and plots have accounted for less than 2% of total terrorist incidents in the U.S. Data tracked by researchers at the Triangle Center on Terrorism and Homeland Security shows that the annual number of Muslim Americans involved in extremist plots has remained historically low, representing a tiny subset of the millions of Muslims living in the U.S.

 

Polling from organizations like the Pew Research Center indicates that the overwhelming majority of American Muslims believe there is little to no support for extremism within their communities, and they view violence as contrary to their values.

 

According to various news reports, the Trump administration gave diverse explanations for starting the war, including forestalling Iranian retaliation after an expected Israeli attack, destroying Iran’s missile capabilities, preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon, seizing Iran’s oil resources, or achieving regime change.

 

According to reporting by the BBC, the US-based group Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA) reported on 7 April that 3,636 people had been killed in Iran since the war began – including 1,701 civilians, of whom at least 254 were children.