To the editor: Trump is the chief Kabuki dancer

President Donald Trump meets with members of Congress and administration officials in the Roosevelt Room at the White House.

Keith Burris’s recent column encouraging us all to give President Trump a break might be reasonable in a normal universe (Aug. 19, “The Kabuki dance of disdain”).

In his column, Mr. Burris argues that the unrelenting drive of the “left” to de-legitimize the President is harmful to us all.

However, it is Mr. Trump who has put himself in the difficult place he finds himself. Forget the Russia investigation for a moment, forget his pre-presidential moral failings, and forget his policies relating to the economy, immigration, the environment, foreign relations, and others. Let’s just look at Mr. Trump’s constant and continuing effort to silence his critics on any of those issues.

He has labeled the “mainstream media” as the “enemy of the people”. He has encouraged his supporters to “knock the crap” out of those who oppose him. He has barred reporters from press events.

He has refused to answer questions from reporters simply because he does not like the questions those reporters have asked him in the past. He has blatantly lied to the American people, both directly and through his press secretary, on matters mundane and unimportant, as well as on matters of great significance. Most recently, he is resorting to the use of his executive authority to punish his critics, and to threaten others with like punishment — not because they have violated any law and deserve it, but rather because he is unhappy with their criticism and he can.

This is the man who characterized a group of white nationalists in Charottesville as “fine people” after one of their own killed an innocent woman. Does Mr. Trump have the right to have that opinion? Absolutely. Does he have the right to expect others to accept his position without raising their voices to criticize him? Absolutely not.

When did we lose the right to expect that our President would be a person with a moral compass? Admittedly, we have not always had that expectation realized, but we should still have the right to expect it, and to call on our President to provide moral leadership by his own example. When he falls short, we should all speak out.

RICHARD R. MALONE
Holland

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Ending violence

All men and women of goodwill are dismayed over the acrimony between ethnic groups in the United States. President Barack Obama would never have been elected without a significant number of white voters. Voters hoped that this country would finally have, with its first black president, his beautiful wife and two adorable daughters, the catalyst to heal the racial divide that hobbles us. That was Mr. Obama’s unspoken directive. Sadly he failed miserably, blood even flows into the gutters of Chicago, his hometown.

President Donald Trump is a convenient scapegoat. His presidency holds up a mirror that reflects the ugly and fallen nature of the human mind and spirit. Mr. Trump’s election may have lanced the boil, but poison was there all along.

Violence will never change the hearts and minds of men. What would have happened if upon Martin Luther King’s assassination — all those many years ago — tears ruled the day, love, and forgiveness blanketed the land, and, most importantly, the idea of nonviolence took root and was allowed to flourish? With a nonviolent response those in power would have felt the full weight of shame associated with slavery, Jim Crow, segregation, and all the other societal ills affecting minorities. If a nonviolent response ruled then, things would be different now.

But alas, MLK’s legacy was tarnished, his life’s work relegated to the trash heap of pipe dreams, and society continues to be mired in the dung heap of violence and hatred.

Imagine if Barack Obama had, with a heavy heart, issued an executive order repealing the Martin Luther King holiday due to lack of merit. Now imagine Donald Trump issued that same decree. Not since O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder would differing weltanschauungs (world-views) be as apparent.

Violence ends with a decision to end it

DON GOZDOWSKI
Central City

Seniors deserve more care

I am 75 years old and have always taken responsibility for my mental and physical health. I exercise, practice yoga, and meditate daily. I worked hard all my life — sometimes working three jobs. One of my occupations was providing my services to the residents in nursing homes. The services I provided gave me much knowledge, but little money.

I know the struggles we all have as we age. My biggest fear is that one day I will lose my subsidized housing. Ben Carson, the current head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, made the comment that “poverty is a state of mind.” I’m amazed at this ignorance.

I believe we need more affordable housing for all senior citizens living on a fixed income. To be homeless is not a state of mind. We all have the right to live with dignity.

Is anyone listening? Does anyone care?

PATTIE BROWN
Perrysburg

Let priests get married

Regardless of your church affiliation or personal religious beliefs, there is never a time to ignore the sexual abuse of children by anyone, but especially by priests of the Catholic Church, or clergy of any religion. Though it has long been guided by the old line, “But that’s the way we’ve always done it,” it is past time for the Catholic Church to change their approach of forbidding their priests to marry.

God created all people as individuals, but we are all the same in having some innate sexual desires, whether straight or gay, that are difficult to deal with in a celibate situation such as the priesthood. I recently read an article about priests also sexually attacking nuns within the church, so it’s not just children who are victims.

I would respectfully advise that the Catholic Church change this ancient policy and allow priests to marry and live a normal life. This also would make it a lot more meaningful for a priest to be able to counsel couples having marital or child-raising problems.

A study of the history of the early Catholic Church has shown that even some of the first popes had wives, or companions, to take care of their sexual needs. Being able to be married probably would also help to lessen the serious shortage of priests around the world. Married clergy certainly hasn’t ruined the Protestant Church.

JOHN BAMONTE
Archbold

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