LETTER: Standing firm with letter writer

Thank you and bless you, Lucy Northrop Corwin, for again courageously and appropriately speaking out against a presidential administration that is an abomination to our country and its traditional values. You were right in 2016 and you are right today (June 8 letter, “Some words now, four years later”). I stood with you then, and I stand with you today.
Compiling a list of the things that Donald Trump has said and done to bring our country into disgrace could consume an entire section of the newspaper. He lies, distorts, engages in and promotes hatred and intolerance, suggests violence be used against his foes, maligns minorities, women, immigrants, those with a disability, and Gold Star families. He inflicts pain on those who grieve the loss of loved ones, including most notably the families of John McCain and John Dingell. He engages in bizarre conspiracy mongering, one of the latest being his link of ideological foe, MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough, to murder, a long ago debunked, idiotic charge.
Today, we are facing millions of protesters who have taken to the streets daily to protest the latest instance of police brutality, something that is perpetuated in part by a president whose posture is to support virtually unlimited power for law enforcement and the attitude of some of its officers that “we can do to criminal suspects anything we damn please.”
I know Trump supporters. Some of them occupy respected positions in the community. Some of them are intelligent, thoughtful people. Some of them are my friends. I would condemn Trump, not them, but I am sure that historians will forever be studying and attempting to understand how so many good people could pledge their support to such a “leader,” how even now, amidst a crumbling country, he can retain the support of 45% of us, according to polls.
In a just-released poll, it was found that 80% of the American people believe not that the nation is merely on the wrong track, but that the United States is “out of control.” Can we survive another four years of chaos, hatred, vile and vulgar behavior, name-calling, and incompetence, and a diminished regard and respect for America throughout the world? As U.S. senator and potential Joe Biden vice presidential pick Kamala Harris said during her campaign for president, “We are better than this.”
Ms. Corwin and I are in the majority of American opinion in our feelings about this president. If we can get those who join us in seeking a better country to vote, including those who now protest on our streets, Trump will be certain to lose his bid for reelection in a landslide.
Oren Spiegler
Peters Township