8/21 letters: Trump’s comments on Charlottesville a ‘threat to democracy’

Regarding “Pressure mounts on Trump to address race-fueled clash” (Aug. 14): Once again President Donald Trump has shown his true colors. After the violence that erupted between white nationalists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Va., the president refused to call out, condemn or denounce the white supremacists, Neo-Nazis and the KKK for their violent and despicable attacks on the counter-protesters. During his press conference the president refused to respond to a reporter’s question regarding his support of white nationalists’ and white supremacists’ acts of violence. It was obvious and very clear to everyone watching the press conference that Mr. Trump did not want to offend the people that “put him in office.”

Neo-Nazi and former KKK leader David Duke – a staunch supporter of the president – stated that the violence in Charlottesville represented a turning point in this country and their determination to take the country back as promised by Donald Trump, and that’s why they voted for him. Even though Republican and Democratic congressional leaders have denounced the violence perpetrated by the white supremacists, President Trump and his administration refuse to accept or acknowledge the fact that this group of his constituents present a real threat to the democracy of this country.

Demand a ‘do-over’

On July 4th, we celebrated our nation’s 241st birthday, founded on a yearning for independence from tyranny. Our Declaration of Independence cites many reasons for refusing to submit to the will of a tyrant king, including the following: “...We have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms [but] our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.”

Today, many North Carolinians have been petitioning our legislators for relief from their illegal redistricting and voter suppression efforts, and from their inhumane refusal to consider Medicaid expansion. They have been met only with silence, contempt, arrest and banishment from the Legislative Building. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the current N.C. Legislature derived its power through unconstitutional gerrymandering and that a new election must be held. Until then, we are being ruled by an illegally-constituted body who must be reminded that “governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed,” as stated in the Declaration of Independence.

To right these wrongs, we must insist upon the immediate redrawing of our election maps and an election “do-over” to be held this year, not next. Perhaps then, we’ll have something to celebrate when July 4th rolls around again.

This story was originally published August 20, 2017 at 6:00 PM with the headline "8/21 letters: Trump’s comments on Charlottesville a ‘threat to democracy’."