Lessons of Nuremberg trials resonate today
This month, the United Nations and the International Bar Association marked the 75th anniversary of the Nuremberg trials, which held Nazi officials accountable for crimes against humanity. This week, the UN’s Human Rights Council criticized the United States for systemic racism, police brutality, and violence against protesters.
Yet recently, our president chastised a Pennsylvania Republican official for calling the election for Joe Biden. Trump also fired Chris Krebs, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, for doing his job and refusing to admit massive voter fraud.
The lessons of Nuremberg suggest perpetrators of evil need enablers, yet a Pennsylvania Republican and the head of cybersecurity refused to play along. Why do we accept the lies told by government officials?
Why do we opt out of climate treaties, turn our backs on science in the face of a growing human crisis, suppress voting, permit police brutality, and allow starvation in a land of plenty?
Why do we watch as jobless citizens are evicted from their homes?
Today’s heroes echo the lessons of Nuremberg: They are government officials who follow their moral compasses and refuse to engage in immoral, or unlawful acts.
WE STILL NEED PPES
As a primary-care physician, I witness every day the rapid increase of the novel coronavirus. This virus is airborne, can be transmitted quickly and can rapidly deteriorate into a severe and highly infectious disease.
For almost 10 months, healthcare professionals have been trying to save the lives of those infected. Many of us are physically and mentally exhausted and live in constant fear of getting infected or passing on the infection to our loved ones.
I am angry and frustrated realizing that we still face difficulties accessing personal protective equipment (PPE). According to the CDC, 170,000 healthcare workers in the United States have now contracted the virus and 742 have died of COVID-19. Many of those heroic men and women made the ultimate sacrifice without access to PPE.
Ensuring the healthcare professionals obtain PPE and training, using face masks at work and in the community, and social distancing remain critical strategies to protect healthcare workers and those they serve.
SENATE RACE
Re the District 37 Florida Senate race: One doesn’t have to be a member of Mensa to see that no-party candidate Alex Rodriguez is a well-paid, well-rehearsed, well-lawyered stooge who was used to run against a candidate with the same last name, Jose Javier Rodriguez.
By siphoning votes away from the Democrat candidate in favor of the Republican, this tactic, which has been used before, can practically ensure a Republican victory.
The incredible depths to which Republicans will stoop to undermine the validity of our electoral system should come as no surprise.
It’s a shame that candidates are not vetted before their names are put on ballots.
REMOVE TRUMP
When will enough be enough? When will this president be held accountable? What more does he need to do?
How can so many violations of law (emoluments clause, Hatch Act) and norms (General Services Administration funding transition) be violated without consequence? Are Republicans really going to sit back and allow all of this?
Is it, as a friend texted me recently, “because the majority of whites voted for him?”
Would President Obama have been given this level of deference?
Time to wake up. President Trump is trying to steal an election before our eyes.
It is unlikely to succeed. Nevertheless, the 25th Amendment must be invoked now.
VOTERS HAVE SPOKEN
Joe Biden has won nearly 80 million legally counted votes, more than any other candidate in American history. The voters have spoken loud and clear.
President Trump can’t win in court because of the lack of evidence of fraud. He is not enabling a peaceful transition of power because he is earnestly trying to get Republicans in state legislatures to toss out Biden electors and substitute with Trump electors. He is planning on creating time constraints in the certification process and extorting, bullying and bribing any Republican legislator or canvasser.
When Trump and the
Republican Party tell the American people that only votes for Trump count and Biden votes don’t, then they are saying that America is no longer a democracy, but instead a one-party authoritarian state.
PRESIDENTIAL NEED
The requirements to run for president must be raised or we will wind up with another unqualified, inexperienced, troublesome character.
We surely don’t need another celebrity full of delusions of grandeur to arrogantly distort our democracy.
A law degree and at least five years’ experience in government should be the minimum requirement to run for an important office such as the presidency. Without them, we will continue to suffer the obvious consequences.
NANCY MEYER
JOHN S. KNIGHT (1894-1981)
RICK HIRSCH
NANCY ANCRUM
JAMES L. KNIGHT (1909-1991)