Letters: Trumps bad. But he didnt do this alone. Am talking to you, too, Democrats. – TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

For the good of the USA, get it together

I am 74 years old and considered myself to be mainly a Republican until the 2016 presidential election. I have in the past voted Democrat on a few occasions when I did not like the GOP candidate running for an office.

To say I did not like nor support the current president is an understatement.

However, he did not alone bring us to where we found ourselves on January 6, 2021.

To be sure, he contributed heavily to that outcome. And the GOP did also by enabling him as they did right up to the end and the fact that some in the party are still unbelievably supporting him and his dishonesty.

But in truth, both parties are equally to blame for the divisiveness they have been building in this country for many years and which created the gridlock we see today and frankly have already had for many years.

This has to end for this great country to be able to step back from the edge of the precipice we are poised on and not end as the Greeks, the founders of democracy, did many years ago. The United States has already outlived the number of years that their democratic society existed.

Can we keep it going? Not without major changes in our two parties, which probably are philosophically not the party you once thought they were anymore anyway. I hope and pray they prove otherwise and finally start working together for the good of all of us and the United States of America.

Charlie Hendrickson, Columbus

For the last four years, President Donald Trump has been pushing to build a wall on our border with Mexico. But on January 6, we discovered that the wall was in the wrong place. We needed it around the U.S. Capitol.

Curtis Dahlin, Roseville

In the Sunday, Jan. 3, Pioneer Press, Dora Jones-Robinson wrote a great opinion piece detailing the difficulties many of our youth are facing, but the headline misled many readers by labeling violent actions of some youth as gun violence.

In the Jan. 7 edition, another letter writer tried to use Dora Jones-Robinsons piece as the backdrop for repeating many of the gun-control crowds tired talking points.

Lets be clear: Inanimate objects, such as firearms, knives, bricks or motor vehicles are not violent. A small number of people are violent, and a much larger number of people use a firearm to commit suicide. We dont have a gun violence problem. We have a gang-violence problem and totally inadequate resources for people suffering from depression and mental illness.

Gun confiscation in defiance of our Second Amendment rights will never work anyway. Take out the word gun and insert drugs to get a clear understanding of how well control efforts will work. Although, Im sure the drug cartels would be more than happy to have a new commodity to market.

P. Eggimann, Hastings

Enough already! We all know (unless living under a rock) whats been going on in Washington, D.C.

Trump is on his way out. He has lost the election or Biden wouldnt be ready to be installed as the next president of the United States. Stop giving Trump air time attention. Unless you havent noticed, he craves it. Concentrate on the American people getting vaccinations and ridding this country of another unwanted virus. Thank you.

Marjorie Orris, Shoreview

The reason I want the abolition of abortion is the same reason for the abolition of slavery in the 19th century and, more recently, the abolition of racism. The slave owner may have thought he owned the slave and thus, could do whatever he wanted with the slave. However, all conservatives and progressive liberals agree that morally he most certainly does not own another person, including any slave. Similarly, a woman can not own an unborn baby and decide to do whatever she wants with the unborn. There is no moral distinction between the value of someone who is a slave, a member of a racial minority or an unborn baby. They all are humans and have value apart from what society might think and say.

I want equal treatment for all, progressives do not. Liberals want equal protection for minority races, for minority religious groups and for every kind of gender group. And rightly so! However, why do liberals make an exception for the unborn child? Yes, every human has innate value, and even science can demonstrate that the unborn are also human beings. So, let us end this hypocrisy and give equal protection for all human beings.

Hal Tetzlaff, Maplewood

Since insurrection day at the Capitol, a number of people in close orbits of Mr. Trump have resigned their positions, ostensibly in protest over his incitement of his supporters to riot.

Does anyone actually believe these resignations are in protest? In the cases of Cabinet secretaries, they are potentially faced with a 25th Amendment decision that they are loath to make. So, its much easier to resign than grow a spine. These people should not be praised for their resignations, they should be recognized for what they are; rats deserting a sinking ship.

MarkWolters, Woodbury

Police officers assume risks every day. Friday we heard of the death of a Capitol Police officer at the hands of a mob. Unlike many risks and subsequent deaths and injuries suffered by police officers, this one was avoidable. President Trump chose to incite the mob that formed at our capitol.

Our president could have taken the high road when he addressed the crowd before they chose to riot. He is responsible not only for that officers death but the others who died as a result of this stain on our countries history. U.S. Reps. Hagedorn and Fischbach of Minnesota have also demonstrated their lack of concern for the mob actions as evidenced by their decision to continue to vote against ratification of the electoral votes. The reasoning for the necessity of a delay and inquiry into so-called vote fraud was based solely on lies perpetrated by Trump. Their vote shows they still support the lies the president has espoused. The same lies that fueled the rage demonstrated by the mob. That rage and subsequent actions lead to those deaths, including that of the police officer. With so-called supporters of police like Hagedorn and Fischbach, who needs enemies?

Greg Johnson, EaganThe writer is a retired police officer

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Letters: Trumps bad. But he didnt do this alone. Am talking to you, too, Democrats. - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press