To the editor:
An editorial offering last week comparing Joe Biden to Jeffrey Epstein was woefully inaccurate on a number of counts, each as offbase as the others.
No amount of spin or cherry picking of alleged tweets can whitewash the uniquely horrible events of 1/6/2021, or who instigated those events. The certification of election results by Congress is normally a mundane, mainly ceremonial event that draws very little attention outside the chamber. It was different this time because the loser of the election refused to accept that decision. After losing dozens of court challenges, many decided by judges that he appointed, he summoned his supporters to attend a huge rally that day, with the admonition of “Will Be Wild!”.
Those who answered the call, including members of at least two militia groups, were treated to a series of speeches laced with incendiary comments such as “You’ve got to fight like hell, or you won’t have a country anymore”, Trial by combat”, etc. The words were broadcast for all to hear. The speakers didn’t give explicit instructions, but the aim was clearly to disrupt or stop the certification. Prior intent was evidenced by people wearing tactical gear, armed with various weapons like bear spray, staffs, some even carrying firearms. The violence at the Capitol was both premeditated and purpose driven. Even worse, the one person who could have easily ended the unfolding disaster chose instead to monitor the coverage on TV, ignoring the pleas of both his family and advisors for over three hours before instructing them to “Go home in Peace, we love you”. The attempts to remove the loser of the 2020 election from the ballot has been triggered by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which bars previous officeholders who have taken an oath to protect that document then engage in acts of insurrection, or support those who do. It would certainly seem to apply here. But maga need not worry. The very conservative SCOTUS is very unlikely to strike him from the ballot, even if it should.
As to those notorious acronyms, CRT is NOT being taught in public schoolrooms across the country, only offered as a university elective, DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion have widely been viewed as beneficial until being perceived as a threat to entrenched white privilege.Today’s gop has it’s own version of DEI, discrimination, exclusion, and inequality.CBDC, dealing with digital currency, is not as well known outside of conspiracyville. All three are “bogeymen” to rile the cult.
Lastly, if you support someone indicted in 91 felony counts, all charged under long standing laws, it seems a little hollow to make unfounded allegations against his opponent. As to the situation at the border, a bi-partisan group of Senators has been working very diligently to put forth a bill that could break the 40 year streak of futility on that topic. Now it appears the GOP would rather use the border as a cudgel instead of actually trying to fix it. Need proof? This week Speaker McConnell pulled his support for the bill. Why? The former President wants to make the border the keystone Issue of his campaign, and Mitch doesn”t want to undermine it. Wow!
Doug Smith
Piqua
