Letters for Feb. 8, 2022
The man who would be king
In 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence making a clean break from British rule. The effort was spurred much by the character of King George III whom they cited as violating colonists’ rights, described as “a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having a direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.”
As president, Donald Trump’s behavior resembled many of the 27 grievances listed in the Declaration of Independence as injuries and usurpations, chief among them “exciting domestic insurrections amongst us” and “obstructing the administration of justice.” And he hasn’t stopped since becoming ex-president … It’s gotten worse.
He now promises kingly pardons for insurrectionists – past and future – and the dungeon without trial for those investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and seeking legal actions against him. I leave description of his actions to the words etched in the Declaration that state a man or “Prince whose character is thus marked by these acts which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
It took real bravery for 56 representatives of the First Continental Congress to sign the Declaration, thus risking their lives by giving the king’s army names to hunt down. Where is that patriotic bravery from Cathy McMorris Rodgers and like Republicans today who stay mute or defend Trump’s tyrannical behavior. The question we should be asking them now is: What are you for … king or country?
Sterling Leibenguth
Spokane
Valley and Deaconess hospitals shine
The beautiful article about Nita Jensen, “Beyond kindness and caring,” makes me wish to add accolades to the medical staff of Valley Hospital and Deaconess Hospital where I had emergency heart procedures done in December. (I am 81.) The compassionate, caring medical staffs and first responders give me hope that there are still many good people in this world. I call them all “God’s earth angels.”
Sally Tilley
Spokane Valley
What would happen if …
The hired pen (hired keyboard?) of the Washington Policy Center asserts overwhelming public opposition to an income tax (“In state income tax fight, it feels like Groundhog Day all over again,” Feb. 4.) I wonder what the results would be if we all got to vote on a real, detailed proposal to institute a graduated (I’d say progressive, but that’s become a loaded word) state income tax to replace, dollar-for-dollar, some combination of our sales, property or B&O taxes.
Howard Glass
Spokane
COVID precautions
My thanks goes to those who mask, vaccinate, wash and distance. You are true patriots for stepping up to face the COVID-19 virus enemy that has invaded our country, like we should for any other enemy that might invade our country.
On the other hand, there are those who display tattered flags and loudly proclaim “Freedom,” “We the People” and “Life and Liberty”; all the while refusing to engage an enemy that has killed more of their family, their neighbors and their countrymen than the attacks on Sept. 11 and Pearl Harbor combined.
Many are the same liberty-proclaimers who have forced us to endure unpopular mandates, because of their refusal to take, on their own initiative, sensible precautions that were, unfortunately, politicized in the spring of 2020. No heroes or patriots in that crowd!
The difficult part now is to convince the anti-crowd to take any of these steps to keep this virus from spreading and mutating. The politicization of masking and vaccinating has turned these safety measures, once usual and expected procedures, into symbols of political identity. And with that, I fear most of the anti-crowd would never risk ostracism by their socio-political group, if they were to change their behavior and mask up.
True patriotism, though, true bravery, means not being afraid to do the right thing. Thank you again maskers, vaxxers, distancers for your patriotism – for your offensive and defensive attempts to restrain this virus from continued attack and devastation.
Scott Thompson
Spokane