Letters: Do Trump's social media posts meet the definition of libel?

I am a novelist who sometimes uses real people as my characters. I must be extremely careful never to say anything about those real people which might be construed as defamatory, or I could be sued for libel. As I understand the law, any published statement which is untrue and might damage an individual's reputation is libelous.We all read, every day, statements which are obviously defamatory concerning anyone Donald Trump dislikes, written and published in his frequent social media postings. My question is, why has he not been repeatedly sued for libel? Does electronic publication fall outside the law? My research says not, but I may be wrong. Or is Trump somehow exempt from the usual workings of the law? Can someone enlighten me?

Jeanne Dams

South Bend

Support Ukraine

I am writing in response to Phil Sullivan’s letter (Letters, Oct. 22) supporting using U.S. tax dollars to buy arms for Ukraine. Sullivan rightly points out that Ukraine is not asking us to put our troops in harm’s way. They are asking us to support them with arms made in America (jobs) to repel an invasion.

Before Russia, it was the USSR. Perhaps there was an opportunity in the early '90s to make Russia an ally, but that time is long past. The "peace dividend" has been spent. Russia is an old enemy and the Ukrainians are grinding down their armed forces. This is only to our advantage.

Every professional military (including China’s) is watching this. It is a more dangerous world. Unfortunately, it takes two to cooperate but only one to start a fight. Everything in Russia’s behavior over the last couple of decades (Chechnya, Georgia, Crimea) indicates that they will continue their aggression until they are stopped. Certainly the nations closest to Russia believe it; witness Finland and Sweden applying to NATO.

Sullivan is correct. I don’t like spending money on this; I know about the deficit. However, it is necessary and in the best interest of the United States to support Ukraine.

Chris Fowler

South Bend

Honest communication

The aunt, uncle, and six cousins of a student in the class I am teaching were all killed in Gaza. I wrote a brief message to Sens. Mike Braun and Todd Young, and Rep. Rudy Yakym and asked simply how the American government can support this genocide and what they were doing about this situation. No response from any of them. How can elected officials believe they serve their constituents when they ignore the difficult questions? They dishonor the offices they hold and must be asked what motivates them in the first place, since honest communication with their electorate seems not to be a priority.

Paul W. Huber

South Bend

Game changer

The discovery of vaccinations has changed the world that we live in. It has increased the population, increased life expectancy and made life safer and overall better. While vaccinations have been one of the most effective tools in preventing deadly diseases and saving countless lives, a very outspoken minority continues to spread misinformation and fear about vaccines, putting our entire community at risk.

The consequences of the anti-vax movement are wide-ranging. First of all, the movement jeopardizes the health of the public. Diseases that were practically eradicated are on the verge of making a comeback, endangering those who cannot receive vaccinations due to medical reasons. Also, herd immunity, which depends on a certain part of the population being vaccinated, is threatened when anti-vaxxers refuse to participate, leaving the world more vulnerable to outbreaks.

In addition, this movement hurts the public's trust in the scientific and medical communities, leading to increased doubt about the very things that have saved so many lives. To combat the anti-vax movement and protect our community, we must prioritize correct information, educate those who have been misled, and hold those who spread false information accountable. The state of our community depends on it.

Yonatan Omer-Springs

Student, John Adams High School

South Bend

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Letter writers on Trump social media posts, representatives, vaccines