Today’s letters: Readers comment on the attack on the Capitol and more – Gainesville Sun

opinion

The right to vote

Gun rights activists often claim the purpose of the Second Amendment is to give the people the means to overthrow the government in the event it becomes tyrannical. Im still waiting to hear who gets to decide when the government crosses that threshold.

Were the armed insurrectionists that stormed the Capitol within their constitutional rights? Was Timothy McVeigh when he blew up the federal building in Oklahoma?

Actually, the weapon the Founding Fathers gave us to defend against a tyrannical government is the ballot box. Thats the weapon Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Rick Scott, Kat Cammack, et.al. feared. The right to vote is the weapon they tried to confiscate.

Bob Alexander, Keystone Heights

Lessons in acceptance

A Jan. 9 article referenced the School Boards meeting regarding rezoning to fill the new elementary school. Some parents with children at Chiles Elementary felt that their precious children would somehow suffer if students (apparently less precious) from Terwilliger were to attend the same school as their children.

They would do well to consider that not all learning is from books. Perhaps both sets of students could learn the meaning and practice of acceptance, a lesson which of course should begin at home.

Sandy Laipis, Gainesville

Trump couldnt change

Democrats did not win the 2020 election. Donald Trump lost it. For decades Democrats drifted away from Americas economic core working women and men striving to keep jobs, feed families, raise children, pay rent and stay well to the goals of social justice LGBTQ rights, pro-abortion and the like.

Social justice is worthy and essential, but it does not feed hungry stomachs. Crowds of the disaffected migrated to high-sounding Republican economic promises (no matter how hollow). Trump was their man until his vile and empty character inevitably sunk so low that the more thoughtful could no longer tolerate it.

If in August, say, Trump had worn a COVID mask, embraced Dr. Anthony Fauci, called Joe Biden a good but not presidential man and proposed massive economic support for the-out-of-work, he would have sailed into a second term. How lucky we are! The deranged tyrant like the leopard could not change his spots.

Joe Little, Gainesville

Return to religion

This country is seriously divided. But that wasn't always so. For over 200 years we were able to overcome differences to become a place where many yearned to come. Even a disastrous Civil War was unable to bring us down. But things have changed.

Not too long ago, the vast majority of Americans were bound together by a belief in the God of the Bible. Whether Protestants, Catholics or Jews, the country had a solid foundation on which to maintain a connection in spite of differences in how people worshipped Him.

The Biblical God is no longer welcome in a large part of our society. In fact, religion in general is disavowed on many levels.

Only a deep source of unity stronger than the political issues that divide us will allow us to attain the common good. Not Marxism, not socialism, not capitalism nor any combination of these can do the job. If we are to keep this republic, we need a massive dose of "Godism."

Leonard Young, Keystone Heights

Misplaced blame

According to a YouGov poll, a majority of Republican voters said President-elect Joe Biden is at fault for the actions of President Trump's supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. They are certifiably insane.

Paul Hargrave, Gainesville

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Today's letters: Readers comment on the attack on the Capitol and more - Gainesville Sun