Letters: Grave concerns for country, heed author's words
As Americans continue to vote for a twice-impeached ex-president who is facing 91 criminal indictments in federal courts, moving him closer to being the nominee of a major political party, I have deep concerns for the future of our country. I implore voters to consider the words of Octavia Butler, writer:
To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears.
To be led by a fool is to be led by the opportunists who control the fool.
To be led by a thief is to offer up your most precious treasures to be stolen.
To be led by a liar is to ask to be told lies.
To be led by a tyrant is to sell yourself and those you love into slavery.
Bonnie McCullar, Orange Park
Unintended consequences
One sure way to pique one’s interest in something — forbid them from investigating it. Tell a youngster that they aren’t allowed to chew gum, and you’re on your way to creating a Dubble Bubble fan. Tell a teenager that Playboy (for example) is out of bounds, and the result is predictable. Hope to entice a youngster into reading a certain book? Just prohibit it.
The zealots banning evil (from their perspective) books from school libraries are probably just increasing the use of our public libraries. Now that dictionaries are banned, I wonder if any of our youth have ever thought of exploring online dictionaries? In addition to having strong fascist overtones, the irony of this book-banning campaign is that it has doubtless increased interest in the books that some adults have found offensive. It’s a tricky way of getting the young to read.
Fran and Pete Sheridan, Atlantic Beach
Potential threat of 'Patriotism'
The Times Union report on the Patriotic Organizations bill is reminiscent of the McCarthy era in America. Sen. Joe McCarthy created a distorted vision of Americanism and patriotism. After WWII, he capitalized on Cold War tensions to fabricate the Red Scare. His demagoguery terrorized Americans who did not fit with his vision. Thousands of Americans were investigated for spurious allegations. The FBI not only targeted members of the Communist Party (legal in the U.S.), but also people who were suspected of having professional or social relationships with anyone on McCarthy’s lists. Those caught in the web were subjected to surveillance, even of their sex lives, contravening constitutionally protected freedoms of speech, association, religion and privacy. McCarthy was unchecked until Joseph Welch, on live TV, exposed him with the famous: “Have you no sense of decency?”
The wording of the Patriotic Organizations legislation sounds politically neutral with examples like Boy Scouts, Big Sisters, etc., but ideological agendas do surface. Proponents praise Moms for Liberty for distributing pocket versions of the Constitution. And yet, this group is notorious for advocating censorship of public libraries, which undermines freedom of speech. Under the guise of protecting parental rights, the group imposes its opinions on others, eroding access of students to literature that is acceptable to their parents.
American patriotism is more than just flags, lapel pins and catchphrases. It implies a commitment to the national ideals of freedom and equality embedded in the Constitution. When the Legislature endorses positions promoted by one ideology, it discredits others. I doubt that the “neutral” Patriotic Organizations bill can be implemented carefully enough to avoid pitting citizens against each other.
Steve Entman, Jacksonville
Better use of time and money
A recent article in the Times-Union discusses how to help the homeless. My question is, how many of the homeless feel better now that another Confederate monument has been removed? I'm not sure we will ever get our priorities in order.
John Grassell, Orange Park
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Continued voting for Donald Trump causes concern for future
