Nation needs more progressive leaders

Dear Editor:

We pledge allegiance to a flag promising ALL of us “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Millions of men and women have fought and died to preserve those rights.

When people kneel before that flag, they are not disrespecting what that flag stands for, they are showing disrespect toward a country that is not living up to that flag. It stands for truth, justice, community, brother/sisterhood, and caring for all citizens regardless of race, color, gender or any other way you might want to categorize a law-abiding, communityminded individual.

But we don’t even come close. In a national crisis, our country sees only two sides. Instead of the two sides compromising by finding a permanent, binding resolution, we put a BandAid on it and let it simmer until the next time.

Elected officials promise to fix the problems, but we are like a rotten apple. We see the rotten core, but instead of cutting it out, we let it infiltrate the health of the general population, breeding fear, anxiety, anger and powerlessness through lies, promises that won’t be kept, and financial and social strongholds.

Once a powerful beacon to the world from FDR’s New Deal, we have regressed to when the rich had all the power and our Constitution was written by, and for, rich white males.

In November, we have a choice between the lesser of two evils: corporate Republicans or corporate Democrats — one more crude, vulgar, ignorant and dishonest than the other, but nothing will change for the average person unless we have more of a choice.

We must continue to elect progressive representatives who truly work for all people, hoping they have the backing of another line on the ballot — any line but Democratic or Republican — to show them we want choices, not either/or.

Rita Vanacore

Shokan