I love reading the opinion page. In the past few months, I’ve been seeing some opinions of our current political situation that stand out a bit too much. One recent letter went on and on about losing our way [“Have we lost our way?” Recorder, Feb. 5]. This is very clearly in line with what our president wants the letter writer to think. Barack Obama and Joe Biden deported more humans than Trump. That the letter writer doesn’t see that the tactics are very different may be a large part of the problem. Brutality and terror never works. The people they’re chasing aren’t hardened criminals … they are neighbors, parents, friends and community members who want to be Americans. And they are stepping all over Americans while they do it.
A young disabled (American) woman in Minnesota on her way to an appointment with her doctor was brutalized and arrested because she approached an ICE blockade and couldn’t turn around. Alex Pretti took pics and was helping a woman off the ground that they had pushed. Renee Good was very clearly driving away when she was killed. Based on what her killer said, he was fine with murdering her.
Is this really what Trump voters wanted? Is it a failing of our own local newspapers or national newspapers that these folks believe lies? Is it the mainstream news media’s lack of coverage? Fox “news?” Influencers on social media? Lack of education?
My husband is a Vietnam veteran and he would tell you that he fought for our freedoms so we can all do what protesters are doing. He’d never been to a protest in his life until Trump was elected. He would tell you that the heavy protesting of Vietnam helped end that awful war. And aside from those few who literally spit on him back then (as if following orders were his own fault), he’s been supported and respected by peaceful protestors. As a veteran, he does not feel supported by our current administration. Not even close.
If this brutality is what you wanted, then own it, but also own what goes with it. The rest of us will 100% stand by what we believe and will defend those beliefs as loudly as needed.
Linda Hillenbrand
Leverett