Now that Commander-in-chief Donald J. Trump, whose latest reality TV role is Russian intelligence asset, has ignored his inauguration vow to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States,” it is time for all of us to go beyond partisan bickering and resist — like true patriots.
How? For starters, as a former journalist, I suggest people avert their gaze from the Trump propaganda machine known as Fox and start listening to and reading the contentious, eyes-wide-open, all-too-human reporting that no democracy can prosper without. And that includes CNN, which is absolutely not the “fake news” that Trump whines about. Any doubters need to be reminded that the network has been all over any political controversy, including Hillary Clinton’s email server mess and Barack Obama’s dithering about Syria’s use of chemical weapons.
Trump’s serial lying has been well-documented by nonpartisan observers such as Politifact. What frightens me is that so many people cannot distinguish truth from fiction. A woefully misinformed electorate simply can’t be counted on to make the sort of choices that gave us Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, the Roosevelts, Reagan and Obama.
Does even one Trump voter have the integrity to admit, “I screwed up”? I would love to hear an explanation for that vote that doesn’t include the tired phrase, “He’s better than Hillary,” or “She should be locked up.”
Dave Griffiths, Mechanic Falls
Send questions/comments to the editors.
