MY TURN: A reply for Brent Regan
In response to Regan’s opinion piece of Sept. 19.
Isn’t it convenient that Mr. Regan lumps ALL Democrats together in one tidy box of hate-filled people who seek violence. Nothing could be further from the TRUTH.
The TRUTH is D.J. Trump incited a riot and insurrection Jan. 6, 2021, when a group of his ardent followers mobbed and stormed our Capitol. People were killed and many law enforcement officers were wounded as they attempted to defend our national legislators and the VP Mike Pence. Trump let that violence continue for hours even though he had the power to call an end to it immediately.
One of Fox’s talking heads (Kilmeade) was recently recorded on live TV to suggest that the homeless in America should be killed using involuntary lethal injections. Amazingly, he still holds his job even though he openly advocated for murdering the less fortunate among us. I doubt this individual is a Democrat. I can’t imagine hating someone so much that you would support cold-blooded murder. Fox News certainly has “banked” on a continuous Republican-led narrative of false rhetoric, lies and hoaxes relative to the Trump administration. One doesn’t have to look any further than Mr. Trump himself to realize that if he says something untrue and repeats it several times, it becomes his (and his followers') truth. Recent case in point: Mr. Trump says he’s ended five wars since his re-election. Within the same week, it becomes seven wars ended and then he says the actual number may have been 10 wars ended. Obviously untrue.
Mr. Trump is dangerous. Most Americans did not take the time to read Agenda 47 and Project 2025 — about 1,000 pages to read; an arduous task for the best of us. However, the documents laid out the Heritage Foundation’s and Mr. Trump’s plans for an authoritarian America. In nine short months, America is on the pathway to become another authoritarian state with the dictator wannabe Mr. Trump as supreme leader.
As far as I am aware, the nationwide protests are not funded by NGOs or PACs. As a frequent protester, I have not received one red cent for mileage or poster costs, nor has anyone else that I’ve spoken to at these events. We joyously do our civic duty to identify and protest what is happening to our beloved country. Additionally, we are not mostly old hippies with nothing better to do. We are patriots of an America that we are happy and blessed to swear allegiance to every day. A democratic republic is the legacy we want to leave to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. So far, the only people sporting guns and weapons at these peaceful protests have been the religious right retrumplicans — many of them masked and carrying assault rifles. Mr. Regan’s postulation that the left is working to incite violence is absurd and false.
To support Mr. Trump today is to support white supremacy, misogyny, Christian nationalism, fascism and the demise of America’s democratic republic, which has served this country well for nearly 250 years.
Mr. Regan is correct in his assertion that “… bullies won’t stop unless they’re stopped.” Mr. Trump, his acolytes and loyalists are certainly showing us what bullies in politics can do, as far as ignoring the Constitution and taking rights away from people (legal and illegal) in America.
I support Charlie Kirk's right to say whatever he had to say, though I disagree with most, if not all, of his stances. Mr. Kirk was an often disrespectful outspoken podcaster. His unfortunate death by assassination, like any act of violence, is a horrible commentary of our times. We must remember, however, that his assassin was from a gun-loving, conservative family in a conservative state (Utah), not a left wing nutjob as the Republicans would have you believe. To make a martyr of Mr. Kirk only serves to further divide this country. To provide high national honors to Mr. Kirk is a dishonor and insult to America's veterans who served this country with honor. It is also indicative of our times that this right-wing podcaster has received more of an outpouring of national attention and sympathy than any of the all too numerous victims of school shootings across this country. Thoughts and prayers, people. Thoughts and prayers.
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Candice L. Ford is a Hayden resident.