Editor, The Smithfield Times:

After previously expressing my concerns (“Extreme protests portend disaster,” Sept. 2), I was not expecting anything this important to happen so fast, but unfortunately it did. I am referring to the shooting of the Trump supporter in Portland, Oregon.

I guess the lesson is that it’s now OK to kill people who have different political views. I’ll list a few of mine. I don’t believe they are extreme in the least.

• Abortion. I am moderately pro-choice, but I don’t believe in abortion after birth. I believe that’s called infanticide.
• I don’t believe that enacting a massive tax increase coming out of the pandemic is a good strategy.
• I believe in legal immigration but not open borders. I think we can do without MS-13 members, drug and sex traffickers, and millions of unskilled folks with all sorts of subsidies to compete with those of our current citizens who have a hard time finding jobs.
• I believe in developing alternate sources of energy as quickly as possible, but not crippling the U.S. with stringent sanctions while the worst offenders (China and India) get a pass. (Check the climate records out; China has to do next to nothing and what they do is voluntary.) I have heard several climate control advocators say not only this, but that if China is not brought under control it won’t matter what the Western world does.
• I believe that some police functions (e.g., domestic disturbances) might be handled by social workers, but defunding the police is a big mistake. Look at the spikes in violent crime in our cities.
• Convicts should have their rights restored after serving their time, but felons should not be able to vote from prison.
• Last, but most important: This is a great country. We have flaws, but not every event, person, cultural icon, etc., is some horrible person or thing.

One of the best examples is George Washington. He laid it all on the line. He would have been executed if the British had won. He was the glue who held us together. Without him the war would have been lost. By winning in 1781 and reinforcing it during the War of 1812, our independence was accelerated by decades, leading us to the nation we have become.

After the war, they tried to make him king, but he refused. He could have made the presidency a lifetime job, but again refused. Yes, he held slaves, but so did almost all of the other plantation owners.

Positions change. At one time people thought the sun revolved around the Earth.

I’d like to see these issues raised and subjected to national referenda. I bet the extreme progressive position would be rejected almost every time.

 

Roger Healey Jr.

Smithfield