Talk of a ‘rigged’ election helps no one

As pastor of First Baptist Church, a predominantly African American congregation in Milford’s downtown Historical District, I have become increasingly concerned and alarmed about President Trump sowing seeds of distrust in our electoral system. His undiscriminating language and message help no one side or party.

He repeatedly uses the term “rigged” when referring to our upcoming national election, implying that the election will only be fair if he wins. Displaying his distrust for voters and the voting process, he also shows his cynicism of the Postal Service and mail-in voting methods.

We are all aware of the removal of mailboxes (which will not be replaced) in various communities. In 2020, these would have been a great convenience for seniors, people who are immunocompromised, and anyone else who wants to be careful and vote during a pandemic. One would presume that any candidate who wants all supporters to safely vote would try to postpone these removals. Yet the president’s skepticism of the Postal Service and fear of voter fraud have made things more complicated.

This country is currently confronted with a full plate of social, economic and justice issues as it prepares to take on the most important task voters face every four years – electing our national leadership. Using words like “rigged” to forecast an election result can only achieve two things – voter confusion and diminished participation with stymied government operations.

As Christians, we look to follow Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 25, to look out for the “least of these.” Additionally, we learn from Amos 5 and Isaiah 1 to maintain justice in the courts, and to seek justice and do good, and correct oppression. As Black Americans, the mammoth historical life and death struggles we have gone through to achieve and freely exercise the right to vote are still too searing to my soul to see this exercise cavalierly threatened by bogus charges and germs of cynicism.

Does anyone seriously think we need this? The Rev. Horace A. Hough, Edgar Russell

Milford