Hold to Constitutional Values

Letter to the LNP Editor; text as submitted November 30, 2024

We are living in troubling and uncertain times. Because the president-elect is a frequent liar who floods his social media with torrents of threats and dangerous assertions, it is impossible to know at any given time what he actually means and what is simply gaslighting and bluster. His purpose appears to be to keep his opponents off-balance and unsure of what we must do to protect our nation from the chaos and distress that he generates.

Our response must be measured and in accordance with the values on which the U.S. was founded. We must hold to the truths that all are created equal; that our government is “of the people, by the people, and for the people”; that justice and rule of law are paramount. We must not yield to the temptation to oppose lies with lies, violence with violence, fraud with corruption.

His criteria for choosing staff are clear. Blind loyalty to the president is essential; knowledge and competence are not. The goal is destruction of functional government agencies. Billionaires will benefit; the rest of us will struggle.

We need to sustain our well-being and create communities of resistance. Support those who are in a position to stand strong against tyranny. Run for office and be one of those people yourself if that is your calling. Protect and care for those who will suffer under the dictates of the incoming regime. The good people of our country have overcome oppressive forces before. We can do it again.

Need Kindness and Community in Time of Darkness

 

Letter to the LNP Editor; text as submitted November 6, 2024

Wednesday morning I woke up to the news that a majority of voters in the U.S. had chosen lies over truth, fraud over honest dealings, revenge and abuse over compassion, hate over love. It is a dark and dangerous time for our nation. The inevitable suffering will be great. And according to the voters, this is what we want.

Decades ago I attended a weekend retreat led by renowned German theologian Dorothee Sölle. In one urgent message to us she warned about the drift toward fascism that, even then, she observed in our country. Alas, her alarm was never taken seriously enough by the majority, and now here we are.

It will be up to us who still cherish freedom and decency to find ways to share kindness amidst the oppression. The first groups to be targeted have already been identified by the incoming administration – the immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, Black persons and people of color. They will need sustenance and protection as we are able to give it. Beyond these, anyone who disagrees with and protests against abusive policies will be labeled “the enemy within,” subject to whatever horrors may be implemented. We must band together to care for each other and to find allies in resistance as best we can.

Above all else, we must not lose hope that someday the U.S. will once again be a nation that respects the rule of law and provides liberty and justice for all. Our young people deserve nothing less.