Letters: Questioning ‘disadvantaged’ designation; Trump’s troop

Questioning ‘disadvantaged’ designation

The other day the mailman (sorry, person) delivered an announcement of an Emergency Relief Program from the Farm Service Administration (FSA, the USDA agency that administers farm programs). This “emergency” was natural disasters like droughts, fires and floods that have occurred in 2020 and 2021. If you thought an emergency was an event or circumstance happening in real time like a tornado, a fire or even a baby formula shortage, you clearly are not qualified to work at USDA. But that’s not the really interesting thing about this announcement. Turns out if I were a woman (I assume USDA has a working definition) I would receive 15% more relief. This is because USDA considers women to be a “disadvantaged minority.” Interesting, last I checked women were in fact a majority. As for the disadvantaged designation, I would love to hear from the muckity mucks at FSA just how an event like a drought or flood affects someone designated disadvantaged 15% more than it affects me.

Trump’s troop

Beware. Donald Trump and his troupe of co-conspirators damn near overthrew our precious American government in January of last year. Though that crowd looked more like a flash mob, their intent was serious and their actions violent. Trump and his troupe aimed to nullify a vitally important legitimate election.

For Trump it was a massive dereliction of duty. He harnessed his troops to a criminal act of sedition to thwart the constitutional process. He failed but his presence lingers. That small, failed event portends a grimmer, larger future insurrection. It would be a sinful mistake to think of Jan. 6 — before and after — as a political demonstration gone overboard. Equally a mistake to look to Trump for the truth.

Adolf Hitler had similar aspirations and took similar actions. In 1923, after having developed his ideology of glorified hatred, he acted. In a huge Munich beer hall holding about 6,000 people, Hitler’s opponent was scheduled to speak. Hitler and 600 of his inflamed followers surrounded the beer hall with guns in hand. Hitler fired a shot for attention and declared that a “national revolution” was underway. This insurrection was quickly subdued by the constabulary. Hitler was tried for high treason and convicted. He served only part of his prison sentence largely because of the viral popularity of his vision and of his person. This uprising was not the end of the movement, only the beginning. The movement eventually swamped the world in madness and death. God spare us a repeat.

Reasons for tears

I cry for children who may never know peace. I cry for the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of tomorrow. I cry for the children who were never allowed to be born.

I cry for a nation I once swore to defend. A country that I no longer recognize. A country that once stood as a shining beacon for hope and dreams. A people who once stood proud and proclaimed their love and devotion for a nation that was respected by the rest of the world. Yes, we had our differences, problems and we were never perfect but when it counted we joined together.

I cry because the people that I have trusted to help make my life better have turned against, not just me but my country as well. In the name of progress they have turned us against each other in degrees unseen in our history. Individuals who are more concerned about themselves and their personal power than the people who they swore to represent.

I cry for those who freely gave some and for those who gave all only to have what they fought for destroyed for political and partisan reasons. For a country on the brink of needless destruction. A self destruction being brought upon by the desire of those who seek power and recognition solely for personal reasons.

I cry because a nation that once believed that “In God We Trust” no longer believes or trusts in God.