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To the editor:
Over 50 years ago Hannah Arendt asked, “How much organized deceit can a democracy endure before it ceases to function?”
In answering that question, “attention must be paid” not only to Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman, but to the actions of the Trump administration. The following are four of the countless examples that could be discussed.
After The Atlantic reported FBI director Kash Patel had alarmed his colleagues with excessive drinking and unexplained absences, he sued the magazine for defamation, seeking $250 million dollars. At a Senate hearing when Chris Van Hollen questioned Patel’s behavior, based on written and documented reports, he angrily replied, “The only person slinging margaritas in El Salvador…with a convicted gang-banging rapist was you.”
In violation of the First Amendment’s freedom of speech and assembly, the Trump administration continues to target the deportation of students who criticize Israel and support Palestinian rights. Secretary of State Rubio claimed they were a threat to U.S. foreign policy interests. This explanation is preposterous.
President Trump bragged about how he had achieved ceasefires in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. Unfortunately, there are no ceasefires in any of these places.
The U.S. continues to threaten Iran, increase its military forces in the region and blockade it. In Gaza and in Lebanon, Hamas and Hezbollah have violated the ceasefires, but not to the extent of Israel. It has repeatedly bombed infrastructure, killed its enemies as well as men, women and children, expanded land operations and displaced 1.2 million Lebanese.
Finally, Admiral Brad Cooper testified before the Senate that a U.S. bomb may have killed 175 people in Iran, almost all of whom were school children. He said, however, these were the only civilian casualties he was aware of in Iran. Senators were “deeply skeptical,” and a human rights group that investigates civilian casualties in war said the statement was “ridiculous."
Thus far, the U.S. has carried out over 13,600 strikes.
Howard Elterman
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Valete
Your essay inferring that the Trump administration’s actions, including targeting students critical of Israel, falsely claiming ceasefires, and alleged downplaying of civilian casualties in Iran, raise concerns about the endurance of democracy in the face of organized deceit is speculation and, therefore, an essay based on your opinion, sprinkled with party-line propaganda.
Thursday, May 21 Report this
krell1349
The Trump administration are a bunch of liars. The administration can't be trusted to tell the truth to the American people. Trump is more concerned with his ballroom and the "slush" fund that was created than helping the American people. Gas prices continue to rise, food prices continue to rise, and a war with no endgame and no end in sight.
Friday, May 22 Report this
Valete
As I said before, you are entitled to an opinion, and I am entitled to my opinion. That said, , I am entitled to disagree with you regarding Mr. Trump, whom I believe has a few aces up his sleeve, which he will reveal shortly, but despite that, the war is over; they are putting the details together. Iran cut its throat when it tried to intimidate Mr. Trump, who sealed their fate. The negligable increase in gas, food, and miscellaneous products will abate by summer’s end, just in time for the mid-term elections to commence, and for Trump to lead his party to total victory. The problem with the media is that it is playing politics by trying its darndest to sabotage trump, who is two-steps ahead of the shortsighted media pundents, who opine daily that Trump failed in his war efforts with Iran, and that the economy is in free-fall, all of which is balooney because the stock market is setting news records daily and GDP is increasing regardless of the Iran war, which anyone knows that whenever a country is engaged in war, inflation rises, so instead of fretting about Trump, sit back and watch America become the world leader, again. China and russia are non-factors regarding world economic and military preeminence.
Friday, May 22 Report this
Valete
It’s essays like this that foment antisemitism., and anti-Israel sentiments. Here is a short newspaper article regarding a city councilor in Dublin, Ireland, who posted, and then deleted a video on WhatsApp on Tuesday that said the world needs a “real final solution” to its “Jewish problem; it starts with footage of Adolf Hitler and a voice-over stating he “warned us of the outcomes we’re currently experiencing,” followed by antisemitic tropes, including how Jews were responsible for “degenerate Hollywood,” pornography and “white replacement.”
The narration also stated: “The world has a serious Jewish problem. Time to wake up and find a real “final solution” for this eternal menace to save civilization, and to top it off, antisemitic depictions of Jews."
"The left-wing campaign against Israel and the Jewish community
must end now or January 30, 1933, will come to pass."
Friday, May 22 Report this
Valete
Krell 1349,
Try getting over the intractable political hump,
enough of the vilification of Donald J. Trump;
he is the president-elect for his social merit.
Mr. Trump is deemed lucid and a man of wit.
A strong president of the citizenry is he;
a warrior intent on keeping America free.
So, give Mr. Trump credit; it is undeniably due,
for safeguarding America, Trump is true-blue!
Sunday, May 24 Report this
Valete
I’m bored. I’ve achieved my goal. It is finished!
Sunday, May 24 Report this
krell1349
It's never finished, and your comments are are reflective of the failed Trump administration. He doesn't care about you, I don't know why you care about him. You drank a lot of Kook Aid. Your wordy diatribes bore me and everyone else who are reading them. The Republican party is finished because of Trump.
Monday, June 1 Report this