Help me make sense of what happened in Charlottesville

Outside of a just war, I detest violence in all its forms, physical, verbal, bullying, etc.

What happened in Charlottesville this past weekend is detestable. Let me rephrase that. It is sickening!

The president’s response is disappointing, because he added fuel to the situation rather than calm it.

I’ve seen all the talking heads on television over that past few days pontificate about the events, and I have yet to see someone who explains the difference between what happened in Charlottesville, vis-a-vis what happened in Baltimore, Ferguson, Dallas, etc.

I would deeply appreciate the aforementioned explanation, as I am trying to make sense of this all.

— Ken Mayo, Tempe

What we know now about Trump, we’ve long suspected about him

We suspected that Donald Trump was a racist. He had been sued by the federal government for not renting to minorities. He had paid for an ad demanding the death penalty for the Central Park 5 who were later found innocent.

He trolled only the black CEO of Merck, the first CEO to leave Trump’s council. Tuesday when he didn’t denounce the tiki torch bearers who brought violence and murder to Charlottesville and were filmed shouting “Jews will not replace us” Trump’s racism was confirmed.

We cannot stand with him. We must denounce him.

— Kay and Jerry Hartley, Surprise

Why is there so much animosity for the Mexican gray wolves

I want to thank you for the recent articles and editorials you have written regarding the plight of the Mexican gray wolf in Arizona.

In light of the fact that so many polls show Arizonans want to see the Lobo succeed in Arizona and yet Arizona Game and Fish doesn’t release any new wolves, I was wondering if you could do an extensive article with interviews of Arizona Game and Fish commissioners, ranchers, hunters, politicians, wolf biologists, and citizens.

I would really like to know why there is so much animosity toward wolves.

— John Soine, Surprise

OK, Trump supporters, time to craft your apology to Hillary

Well this time Donald Trump has really done it. It seems we’ve been saying that every week for over two years now.

His latest outrage should come as no surprise. It was obvious in his five-year racist attack on President Obama’s birth certificate, and his description of Mexican immigrants as rapists.

Everybody who supported him knew exactly what he was, which clarifies who they are. He was never going to pivot to become presidential.

It is not enough for Republican officials, Trump voters, or electoral bystanders to tut tut about Nazi’s. It’s not enough to denounce Trump by name.

These neo-Nazis, white supremacists, white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and alt-right have been an essential core voting block for Republicans going back to Goldwater.

Honorable Republicans will reject their votes. They need a whole replacement field for the current officials, who will make it clear they will govern in a fashion that will repulse these bigots.

Follow the LBJ model, not Barry Goldwater’s.

Maybe start with something easy. Apologize to Hillary Clinton. Admit you should have voted for her and that she was right.

Was it worth selling your soul for Neil Gorsuch? — Andrew March, Phoenix

No one likes it, but Donald Trump is telling the unvarnished truth

President Trump is being criticized mercilessly for his politically incorrect statements. No one is giving him any credit for telling the truth. — Dennis Santillo, Cornville

Three things for my fellow Republicans to think about

To my fellow Republicans: 1. Voting for Donald Trump was not a vow. You didn’t promise to love, honor and obey him ‘til death do you part. 2. Admitting Trump is a failure is not an admission of error on your part. He’s an accomplished salesman and you, like many others, were fooled by the pitch. 3. Remember: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”

— Rusty Brown, Phoenix