Would be king trying to burn our house down
Since inauguration day, Jan. 20, we have seen a wrecking crew of oligarchs and would-be oligarchs demolishing social and cultural services used in some form by most Americans.
The Man-Who-Would-Be-King (and, apparently, Pope) has assembled a cabinet and diplomatic corps of millionaires and billionaires, big donors and rich personal friends with no experience in government. Our nation is now controlled by no fewer than 10 billionaires, as well as a host of multimillionaires and others who think government should be run like a business.
These people now oversee Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, the FDA, the Office of Budget and Management, and the Departments of Commerce, Interior, Education and the Treasury.
Many of them are directing or abetting the gutting of important services provided by these departments to everyday Americans — parks, food programs, libraries, museums, research centers, civil rights, weather forecasting, mental health services, medical care, cultural programs, energy alternatives, programs for the elderly and support for urban and rural schools.
The attitude of this president and his cronies is clear: If I, my family, my donors or my business associates don’t benefit from these services, they’re a waste.
We are witnessing the party of Lincoln enthroning a government of the wealthy, by the wealthy, for the wealthy.
Steve Abbott, Columbus
Protest vs. riot
There are major differences between protests and riots. What we have seen play out across the country this week are protests, not riots, as they have been characterized by Republican-leaning talking heads.
Yes, a few bad actors have been violent, but the vast majority of those in the streets were simply expressing their First Amendment rights regarding government policies with which they disagree.
Protests are as fundamental as any American tradition. One could argue the first truly American protest led to the Boston Massacre in 1770 by soldiers of THE King.
Next week, will we be talking about the Los Angeles Massacre, or the Chicago Massacre. Here in Ohio, we know all too well what happens when National Guard troops are sent in to handle a peaceful protest. Just ask the family members of four Kent State students.
Ernie Hartong, Columbus
We walked for freedom — but planned for fear
On Sunday, I helped organize an 18-minute walk calling for Hamas to release the hostages they are holding.
It was peaceful — but we spent most of our time planning security. Police. Armed guards. Trained volunteers. Some people were too afraid to come.
In Boulder, snipers were stationed on rooftops for a similar event.
This is what it takes for Jews to walk safely in public and call for the freedom of those held for over 600 days, chained and locked in a dark, damp, poorly ventilated, cramp underground tunnel, being fed one slice of bread a day, isolated, threatened with violence and provided no medical care — not even a visit from the Red Cross.
What needs to change?
Steve Glickstein, New Albany
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Wrecking crew of oligarchs would have us crown Trump king as he burns nation down | Letters
Reporting by Letters to the Editor / The Columbus Dispatch
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