Stop raising racial animosity

After a weekend with two horrific mass shootings, both motivated by vicious, hate-fueled rhetoric and coupled with an already record year for violent crime, I call on our elected leaders at the federal and state level to set aside partisan politics to address the urgent issues of community safety and policing.

First and foremost, those at the state level need to address the concerns of many in communities of color and elsewhere the scourge of police violence.

Second, as President Joe Biden has said, the answer is to not defund the police, but give them the tools necessary to reestablish safe communities and to protect those most vulnerable. These steps must be done and both parties must support them.

This issue should be among chief concern to Democrat and Republican lawmakers alike because if it is not addressed by responsible lawmakers from both parties, politicians such as Donald Trump – who only seek to scapegoat, stoke fear, and raise racial animosity – will either return to office or inhibit real reform that is much-needed.

Likewise, as a common-sense conservative that believes in consensus building, the Republican party must divest itself from the toxic, hate-fueled rhetoric stoked by the likes of Donald Trump and his acolytes. Our party and our nation deserve better.

Our lawmakers in Columbus and Washington need to spend less time stoking the bases on issues that only divide us such as abortion and trans rights, which should be settled as personal choice matters.

After all, you cannot be America first if you place the safety of your constituents last.

Trevor Knapp, Pickerington