The danger of lies

To the Editor:

If you are one of the Q crazy, militia maniac, racist Rambo, Fox fed, liar loving, Kool-aid craving, Trump terrorists who invaded the Capitol to derail democracy, you deserve all the ridicule and condemnation I can muster. I shouldn't have to explain that; I'll leave it to the judge.

To everyone else I say, could we just start over? The events of Jan. 6 have shown us the damage that lies can do. There is a better way — tell the truth and demand the truth from here on. The truth can be proven and it can withstand a challenge, lies cannot. Knowing the truth will help to show the way into the future. Describing reality to suit our fancy or to justify greed is a path to failure.

We have reasons to be anxious and angry; the world is a dangerous place, and life is not fair. Throughout history, devious leaders have skillfully used lies to direct the currents of negative emotions for their own selfish benefit. Let's resist temptation and hold firm to the truth before we are swept away and cannot go back.

Please think about the things that we all aspire to and some ways to reach them. Goals we share could include nurturing our children, caring for this land and its people, and living lives in comfort and beauty. That asking of where do we want to go and what's the best way to get there should be the basis for our political discussions, not the tactics and play-by-play of tribal warfare.

President Biden says to “defeat the lies, defend the truth.” The first step we must take is to be careful about who and what we believe. Lies and liars can spoil our freedom, beware.

John Watson

Columbia