Letters: Make the most of ‘Memorial May’; Much at stake with AG races

Make the most of ‘Memorial May’

Memorial Day was originally intended to honor the sacrifices made by those who have served our country. Over time, the reason for Memorial Day has become lost on many of us. It is time to return this day’s celebrations to its original intention. Carry The Load, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, provides an active way to connect Americans to the sacrifices others have made. Founded by two retired navy seals, CTL supports the work of other similar nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. Throughout May, walks will be held in 48 states to bring awareness to the true meaning of Memorial Day. Why not consider donating, organizing a walk in your neighborhood, or with your families to remember those who have served? It only takes a small amount of time to do this. To learn more about how you can become involved, visit www.carrytheload.org/site/SPageServer/?pagename=home

Also, locally, an organization called A Soldier’s Hands, dedicates its effort to making sure every active military individual receives a piece of mail that includes a wonderful heartfelt note of thanks, some protective skin products, and other welcome treats. As part of your “Memorial May” celebration, consider also supporting this organization. We will be on hand at the Boalsburg Memorial Day celebration. Come to our booth to write a letter, make a donation, or offer your time to this worthy cause. Find out more at www.asoldiershands.org/index.html.

Let’s make celebrating Memorial Day a day of remembrance and respect for those who keep us safe.

Much at stake with AG races

Following the 2020 election, the Trump Administration sued a number of states claiming “massive voter fraud” and asked the court to nullify the slate of Biden electors and replace it with one pledged to Trump. The states were represented by their Attorneys General, who vigorously (and successfully) defended the Biden slates.

Now suppose a state’s Attorney General had been a total Trump loyalist. This AG could have agreed with plaintiff’s absurd claim and informed the court that no defense against the claim would be presented. The court would have had no choice but to enter judgment in favor of the plaintiff, substituting Trump electors for the Biden electors chosen by the voters.

It could have been just that simple.

What prevented this scenario from playing out in 2020 was the integrity of the AG’s, whatever their political affiliations. This same integrity will be needed to prevent this nightmare from occurring in 2024.

But don’t count on it.

The Republican plan is to get Trump loyalists elected AG’s in various swing states and bring this scheme to fruition. Consider Michigan, where Trump-endorsed Matt DePerno has secured the Republican nomination. If the Democratic presidential nominee wins Michigan in 2024, and the Republicans bring a similar suit, would AG DePerno defend the voters’ choice?

Don’t count on it. Trump has already publicly declared that if DePerno wins the AG race, he will win Michigan in 2024.

The best way to avoid this nightmare is to keep Trumpians from winning AG positions.

Conservatives change tune on judicial activism

Henry Olsen, Fellow of the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center, has weighed in enthusiastically on the leaked Samuel Alito draft potentially overturning Roe v. Wade and ending any federal right to an abortion. Olsen writes as if Roe had no proper legal foundation whatever, and portrays it as the climax of a period of “amok,” illegitimate liberal overreach at the Supreme Court. As a former, decades-long conservative myself, I am quite familiar with conservative thought. Conservatives have always hated judicial activism if it discovered individual rights as to personal behavior, especially as concerns minorities or women. Without liberal activism, we’d have had no Brown v. Board of Education against school segregation, no Miranda rights against police abuse, and no rights to privacy or bodily autonomy as in the Griswold, Obergefell, or Lawrence v. Texas decisions. Now we have a right wing Court majority inclined to radical, not genuinely conservative, change. Suddenly they love judicial activism. Yes, Roe created a new right to abortion, but it was well grounded in the Ninth and 14th Amendments that reserve rights to us, specifically enumerated or not. Now it seems about to be overturned. Elections have consequences, and the consequences of the 2016 election continue to unfold horribly.