Had enough yet?
Re “GOP rebukes Trump for vulgar tweets,” June 30
During the Republican primaries, we frequently heard derogatory terms such as pathological liar, con-man, narcissist and worse. All these descriptions of Donald Trump emanated from his fellow Republican candidates.
At the time, Democrats and almost all of the Republican candidates were in complete accord. Why? Quite simply because they all recognized Trump for what he was and were compelled to express their fear that someone of his caliber could become president. Well, the unimaginable happened and the person they described in such glowing terms is now our president — and judging by his most recent series of bullying tweets, he has not changed.
The sad truth is that many Republicans still see Trump as the same loose cannon that they knew could do great damage to our democracy. But now they are apparently willing to allow this undisciplined man to run roughshod over the institutions and ideals that have made our country great.
So, to all who truly recognize Trump for what he is but overlook his dangerous flaws for the sake of cutting taxes, are you really prepared to face the consequences of continuing to support a man who flagrantly lies and insults? Where do you draw the line? Robert A. McKennon Hacienda Heights
Where does it end? The endless loop of vulgarity, finger pointing about who started it, the arms race of escalating name calling?
Does it end with bodyslamming a reporter to the ground? Apparently not.
Does it end with an assassination attempt on a member of Congress? Apparently not.
Does it end with our leaders realizing they must be better role models for us to have any hope of engaging in a civil discourse? Apparently not.
Is it a sign of weakness to not respond to a vicious personal attack? Aren’t we entitled to stand up for ourselves, to defend our honor? Sure, but not by firing back with ever more vulgar and profane salvos.
If any of us saw our children behaving the way our politicians and pundits do, trading insults as if the goal were to see who can be the loudest and rudest, we’d step in and say, “Stop, now.” So I say to all of us — politicians and pundits, Democrats and Republicans, media outlets and ordinary citizens on social media, you and me — stop, now.
This is the road to hell, where we all crash and burn together. Ross Brown Santa Barbara