Letters to the Editor: Oct. 20, 2023
Hypocritical?
Oct. 15-21 is set aside to proclaim, “Hands are not for Hurting,” in public schools. This is to promote a community free of abuse and violence, along with respect and equality for all.
The Chicago chapter of Black Lives Matter came out in support of Palestine by posting a picture of a paraglider with a Palestinian flag attached. This image stands for Hamas terrorists who paraglided into Israel to barbarically slaughter innocent men, women and children on Oct. 7.
The chapter subsequently deleted the post and expressed regret. But it reiterated its support for Palestinian self-determination.
It is both hypocritical and counterproductive to allow display of the BLM logo in public schools, while proclaiming, “Hands are not for Hurting.” Isn’t it time for parents to stand up and insist any such images be removed?
Cindy Allen
McMinnville
No concept
Gen. Mark Milley, who had chaired the Joint Chiefs of Staff since 2019, retired Sept. 30.
The Atlantic ran an in-depth article on him, titled “The Patriot,” in its September edition. It was written by Jeffrey Goldberg, The Atlantic’s editor.
There is some remarkable information there on Milley, who split his four years between the Trump and Biden administrations. It should cause any thinking, patriotic American to think twice before voting for Trump
The article includes the views of other high-level military officers on Trump. You will remember some of them.
Rex Tillerson, secretary of state: “Trump is a f---ing moron.” John Kelly, White House chief of staff: “A most flawed person.” James Mattis, secretary of defense. “More dangerous than anyone could even imagine.”
We all remember the comment Trump made as a presidential candidate in 2015 regarding John McCain: “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.”
After McCain’s death, Trump said: “I was never a fan of John McCain and I never will be.”
The article includes a story about Capt. Luis Avila’s appearance at the ceremony to congratulate Gen. Milley on becoming the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2019.
Milley had Avila, a severely wounded Army captain who lost a leg to an IED in Afghanistan and subsequently suffered two strokes, two heart attacks and brain damage, sing “God Bless America” at the ceremony. After the performance, Trump briefly congratulated him, then turned to Milley and said, loud enough for others to hear:
“Why do you bring people like that here? No one wants to see that, the wounded. Never let Avila appear in public again.”
Milley had buried 242 soldiers under his command. He found Trump’s attitude to be “superficial, callow and at the deepest human level repugnant.”
Trump has no concept of honor, sacrifice or duty. How can anyone seriously think he should be our president again?
Les Howsden
Amity
Comments
treefarmer
Mr. Howsden
Some of our fellow Americans have their own malignant sources of “truth” and “fact.” Many of them get their “news” from extremist broadcasts and social media sites with algorithms designed to funnel hateful fear-producing content non-stop. This is how the cult leader maintains control of the faithful in the 21st century. If a MAGA worshiper even happens to see an undeniable fact-based report like the one you cite, that devotee will likely choose not believe it. And if they DO believe it, they will find some form of convoluted logic to excuse it.
So grateful to see your letter, and I fully understand the cognitive dissonance you (and so many of us) feel when Trump’s vicious violence-inducing conduct continues, and his poll numbers just appear to keep rising. We need to persist in stating the actual facts at every opportunity, vote, and hope the majority will come to realize the implications of empowering a traitorous anti-American criminal. The stakes have never been higher.
Otis
Mr. Howdsen,
thanks for that letter. I wish there were more folks like Milley around on the conservative side. Not any more. Maga has taken over the right. It uses a perverted form of Christianity and proclaims that "God is on our side" as an excuse to do the most horrible things to people deemed lesser than white, straight Christians....and it wants to turn America into the Republic of Gilead. Christian Nationalism is a imposter form of Christianity and it opposes everything Jesus stood for.
Christian Nationalism = Worshipping the antichrist
Vote....like it's the last time you'll be able to vote.