AMERICAN: And tolerant, too

I am a real American. I am not a member of a “deep state,” whatever that is. I served honorably for eight years in the United States Navy and another distinguished 20+ years as a civilian employee of the U.S. Army.

I have never been a felon and I’m actually a pretty nice guy. I am tolerant of all races, religions, gender identities and political preferences. I do not ever consider anyone else to be less American than me except in the sense that people who are citizens of countries other than the U.S.A. are obviously not Americans unless they have dual citizenship.

I resent being put into a box of any kind. I am a free thinker and am appreciative of other free thinkers. However, there is no method of thinking that produces its own facts. My college work specifically taught me how to separate facts from unsupported speculation within obvious limits. I accept that I am probably not always completely successful at that, so I try to look at my own judgments with a critical eye. I resent people who create their own facts and those who feel that anyone who does not think like they do is unworthy or wrong.

I see evidence in the letters to the editor in the Coeur d’Alene Press that there are a lot of people who do that. If that puts me in a box or discounts my voice, that is an attack on humanity and an attack on the truth.

MORTON KRAUS

Coeur d’Alene