Dear Editor (New York Times),
Americans who say that those who violated the Capitol are not ‘us’ forget history. The nation was conceived in violence. The war against the English was also a civil war that Churchill compared to atrocities in Ireland. The founding document was based on a lie about equality. 600,000 Americans died in an attempt to extirpate that lie. This President could not believe a black president could be American. He has cheered on white violence and condemned black protests. And this nation uniquely celebrates a constitutional right to bear arms. The purpose of a gun is to inflict violent harm. So, Americans, don’t say you’re not violent. It’s in your blood.
The divide between black and white led to the Civil War and Black Wednesday. Those who razed the Bastille cherished equality; those who stormed the Capitol dread it. The question you face was stated at Gettysburg by the greatest American – ‘whether a new nation,conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal… can long endure’.
Yours truly
Bloopers
Donald Trump finishes his astonishing term as president in utter ignominy. His behaviour since he lost the presidential election on November 3 has been far worse than anything he did as president….Trump was always a contemptible and unworthy character. For any serious conservative, voting for him was always a 51-49 decision.
Greg Sheridan, Weekend Australian, January 9-10, 2021.
Where to start? What does ‘conservative’ mean there, ‘serious’ or not? What is there 50/50 about someone who has always been ‘contemptible’ and ‘unworthy’? This proprietor does warp minds. The Wall Street Journal broke ranks and said Trump should resign. Since this is about 1000 to 1, the next question is what should otherwise happen? They give no answer, although they concede that ‘Trump’s character flaws were apparent for all to see when he ran for president.’ Then the WSJ reveals the house flaw when it says that the 2019 impeachment was an abuse of process that has diminished Democrats’ credibility. The alternative view is that that impeachment was a lay down misère which only failed because Republicans did not do their duty, and that the U S and the world are now much worse off because of their failure. And, given that Trump is contemptible and a man whose character flaws are notorious, their failure is inexcusable.
