Save American democracy
Editor: I am neither a Democrat or Republican and have been independent in my political mindset. But, things have changed. COVID has changed us and Donald Trump has changed me.
Rev. Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor, once wrote a poem of sorts shortly after World War II. In it, he relates his time under Nazi Germany rule. To paraphrase, “the Nazi's came for the communists and I did nothing, then the socialists, then the unionists, Catholics, and the Jews and I still said nothing and then they came for me and there was no one else left to protest.”
Donald Trump represents a serious threat to our democracy. He has attacked immigrants, Latinos, Native Americans, African Americans, women, the weak and infirm, those of various religious beliefs, our rule of law and justice for all. He flaunts and breaks laws himself concerning his business dealings and attempts at extorting a foreign country.
He mocks science and has called this pandemic a hoax. He has made a mockery of wearing a mask and equates it with a person’s party affiliation. Because of this “hoax” over 180,000 Americans are dead and more will die because of this president.
Now he is attacking the post office! His dubious and inexperienced appointee has shut down mail sorters, removed mailboxes, refused overtime and slowed delivery of the mail. By his own admission (Fox News), Donald Trump is attempting to hinder the mail-in-voting process. Mr. Trump is also claiming that the mail-in ballots would be rife with cheating and illegitimacy though he himself votes by mail, and says Florida, a Republican state, is okay to vote by mail. Most states have allowed mail in voting for years without any significant problems.
Americans must wake up to what is happening. People need to be aware, informed and express their discontent with what is going on. No matter what happens to the post office, we still must vote, we still must protest peacefully. We must do something now before it is too late, until something you care about is threatened and “no one is left to protest.”
DR. COREY COLLA Lodi