Letters: Consequences for Thompson; Why aren’t we demanding change?
Consequences for Thompson
Congressman Glenn Thompson has disgraced his oath of office by supporting a mob of violent, destructive, weapon-toting, conspiracy adherents to challenge the outcome of the presidential election.
Thompson must be aware that the election was conducted under strict scrutiny. The results were certified by the boards of elections in all of the states. Lawsuits were brought, all of which were dismissed.
Yet Thompson and others cast doubt on the election, calling the outcome fraudulent and questioning the integrity of the process. He threw his support behind conspiracy-minded rabble whose theories originate in the dark corners of the internet. He put his political concerns about being “primaried” ahead of his own integrity.
There is no fraud. The are no millions of votes by undocumented workers. All of the theories about corrupted voting machines, late-counted ballots and missing Republican votes have been shown to be specious.
Thompson does not deserve to sit in the House. I do not live in his district, but I will take an interest in the upcoming election. I will make financial contributions to his opponent and to the PACs that will use that money to stop his reelection.
His devotion to Trump and his desire to protect his seat took precedence over country. Hopefully, his tenure in the Congress will soon end. I will do my part to contribute to that outcome.
Why aren’t we demanding change?
Every week a person of color, usually a Black man or woman, is killed by law enforcement in a fusillade of bullets for little to no cause. Are bad apples playing a “game of chicken” to see who can commit murder and get away with it? Or are they lynching with bullets instead of a rope, which we now witness because of technology? Are we permitting “open season” on persons of color? Or is it a denial of their humanity and a lack of caring? Will an investigation result in findings of appropriate behavior and no charges? Why aren’t we demanding change?
Years ago, during my education, I was taught that using a Taser on a mentally-ill or agitated person was not functional. Those individuals do not find a Taser a threat as they aren’t thinking rationally. A Taser often increases their agitation causing a stress response and a more forceful and violent reaction to being assaulted. So has training changed? Why are Tasers still being used, if worse than useless?
This can’t be who we are as a nation! We must raise our voices against this tyranny that sacrifices people of color even in their own homes and yards. Would you want to be in their shoes? Please tap into your humanity and your empathy and speak out. “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth” (Acts 17:26).
A Founding Father’s warning
I came across this remarkable quote from Alexander Hamilton, written in 1792. It’s almost as if this Founding Father of the republic was present with us this week, offering again a warning about the dangers of someone like Trump.
“The truth unquestionably is, that the only path to a subversion of the republican system of the Country is, by flattering the prejudices of the people, and exciting their jealousies and apprehensions, to throw affairs into confusion and bring on civil commotion. ... When a man unprincipled in private life desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents ... despotic in his ordinary demeanor — known to have scoffed in private at the principles of liberty — when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity — to join in the cry of danger to liberty — to take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government & bringing it under suspicion — to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day — It may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ‘ride the storm ad direct the whirlwind.’’’