What is and isn’t authoritarian

Re “Three years after Jan. 6: Where are we headed?” letters, Jan. 6

A letter writer “chuckles” at the notion of former President Trump as a dictator. He uses Gov. Gavin Newsom, who “locked down 40 million Californians without a vote” during a deadly pandemic, as a true example of dictatorial abuse of power.

A governor or a president may take any number of actions seen as an abuse of power. There are constitutional remedies available to address these overreaches.

Elections also provide a very efficient vehicle for the voice of the people to be heard. In 2021, the recall election against Newsom failed. In 2022, he was reelected by the people of California.

After the 2020 presidential election, Trump took his appeals to our court system, where he failed. It was then that he launched an attack on our constitutional system of government. He inspired a mob to violently interrupt the peaceful transfer of power, which had taken place since the founding of our nation.

A government official who defies our constitutional system and instigates violence — and who, as Trump has suggested, would like to suspend portions of the Constitution — can be fairly considered a dictator. This is nothing to chuckle at.

Richard Dunn Valley Glen

I had to chuckle at the letter writer criticizing Newsom for having “locked down 40 million Californians without a vote.” Maybe he wasn’t aware that about half of the world’s population was under some form of lockdown at the time.

Newsom’s stay-at-home order in March 2020 was meant to protect the health and well-being of all Californians and slow the spread of COVID-19. It was a temporary order.

If the ex-president is reelected, this country’s democracy will be forever threatened. The letter writer should ponder abortion rights taken from women, books being banned from schools and libraries, and voting rights coming under attack — all without a vote.

All Americans should be concerned about Trump being a dictator. There’s nothing to chuckle about knowing that there are people who will support and enable him.

Sherry Brewer

Sherman Oaks

In all of the letters about Jan. 6 and Trump’s dictatorial behavior, none mentioned his most explosive and most ridiculous statement about the insurrection — that the riot was a “love fest.”

Everyone in America saw this as it was happening. People were injured, a few were killed, there were chants of “Hang Mike Pence,” and members of Congress were running for their lives.

Yet most Republicans believe the lies stated by Trump. There is no possible way to get through to people who will not believe what is right in from of them.

Edward A. Sussman Fountain Valley