Trump and the American experience; abortion in South Dakota: Your letters

Your letters to the editor for Oct. 22, 2023:

The argument for 'people over property'

The evolution of wars is part of a bigger dynamic at work in the universe. Peoples of every cause, color, or concern are affected by it without bias. We see it played out across the world since time immemorial.In 1966 Robert Ardery wrote a book called "The Territorial Imperative" which was a personal inquiry into the animal origins of property and nations. It was an intriguing examination of the animals complex territorial concepts concluding that war, family loyalty and other human principles are evolutionary instincts. He offered intriguing ideas about how we humans value "territory" and how it has informed the formation of nations.He states in his book that "what we call patriotism is a calculable force, which released by a predictable situation, will animate man in a manner no different from any other species."Until we can reprogam ourselves to value "people over property" we will not see an end to the wars that plague the world now and in the future. Hope springs eternal that we can learn to evolve!

− Mary Maxwell, Sioux Falls

More: What's to become of animals at the Delbridge Museum; more pipeline frustrations: Your letters

Dusty Johnson took an oath, but to whom?

In the months leading up to and following the 2020 presidential election, potential House speaker and Ohio Representative Jim Jordan prolifically pushed false stolen election rhetoric. After Donald Trump lost the election to Joe Biden, Jordan then urged Trump not to concede his loss for which he was awarded the unseemly moniker "One of the Great Ones" for his misinformation campaign.And now that he has thrown his hat into the Speaker of the House ring, we will all get to witness how South Dakota's lone Representative will cast his vote. Will Dusty Johnson place his support firmly behind the MAGA extremist election denier Jordan, or will he climb up on the bandwagon of MAGA extremist election denier Steve Scalise of Louisiana?The excitement is palpable.Dusty needs to remember that the oath he took was not to any person but to the Constitution of the United States. He hasn't remembered that so far."If they were to decide that, there would no longer be any possible way to argue that a group of elected Republicans could be counted on to defend the Constitution." - Liz Cheney

− Dave Graue, Sioux Falls

Protect our state constitution: Decline to sign

There is an effort underway to enshrine abortion up to birth in our South Dakota Constitution by out-of-state interests. The people of our great state generally view the world differently than those on the coasts. Faith, common sense, the rule of law and our state constitution are bedrocks of our way of life. Much like the US Constitution, every word written in our state’s founding document has the power to impact its people’s wellbeing for generations to come. Therefore, all attempted amendments should not leave any questions about their ultimate impact. This is especially true when it comes to the complex issue of abortion.

The petition in question is being circulated by an organization which claims it is only attempting to “Restore Roe v. Wade” on the state level. As someone who is proudly pro-life — valuing both women and babies — it is easy to see how this proposed amendment, which allows abortion up to birth, could open up Pandora’s box. Frankly, many people I know who describe themselves as pro-choice will find the language overly broad and troubling.

If such language is inserted into our state constitution, there is no guarantee that any limits on abortions will stand, even life saving measures for mothers. We can look to other states like Michigan and Kansas, which passed similar referendums in the last year, and see that steps have already been taken to remove the most basic abortion safeguards like parental involvement laws, informed consent, and safety guidelines. The proposed amendment also opens the door to state taxpayer funded abortions.

If the needed signatures are collected to put the “abortion up to birth” amendment on the ballot, millions of dollars will flood into the state to influence voters, mostly driven by the abortion industry, which seeks to improve its bottom line.

Wouldn’t it be better if these finances could be used to actually help vulnerable women? Many women feel that abortion is their only option. These women need our compassion and support and the kind of resources that are available across the state at our pregnancy centers, local safety net clinics and countless ministries. Just imagine if the politics of this issue were set aside and the vulnerable were the central focus.

Please join me in keeping this extreme measure off the ballot, so our resources can be better used in the efforts to help those facing an unplanned pregnancy. If you are asked to add your signature to this radical “abortion up to birth" petition, then please “Decline to Sign”. And join the LifeDefenseFund.com in their work to share the truth about this “abortion up to birth” amendment.

− Dale Bartscher, Executive Director of SD Right to Life, Rapid City

More: SD's shortchanging its children; Trump's not the elephant in the room: Your letters

Two wrongs don't make a right, including in Gaza

First, my sympathies are with the Israelis because of the terrorist atrocities committed by Hamas last weekend. It is beyond belief the extent of the crimes against humanity committed by these terrorists. This kind of behavior is impossible to justify under any circumstances. The indiscriminate killing of entire families and even entire villages- women and children in some cases, especially in the violent way they killed them, is truly shocking.However, I fail to understand how indiscriminately bombing the entire city of Gaza City, killing entire families and neighborhoods- women and children, is the proper response. Just because those families are Palestinian and not Jewish does not make it right. They are people too, just like the Israelis. My mother taught me early in life- two wrongs don’t make a right. I understand wanting revenge for the terrorist attack on the Jewish State, wanting to get the hostages back but I'm not sure this was the best way to react. Maybe all of these people need to stop killing and start talking. I would bet most of them don’t even know why they hate each other, they were just raised that way- hating each other. I am not comfortable with my tax dollars supporting the indiscriminate killing of any people, be they Jewish or Palestinian. We should all just think about that for a minute.

− Robert Funk, Brandon

A word from Margaret Thatcher

Let us remember these immortal words in the midst of our turbulent political climate, as they serve as a compass to point us to what government should be, not what it currently is…“One of the great debates of our time is about how much of your money should be spent by the state, and how much you should keep to spend on your family. Let us never forget this fundamental truth, the state has no source of money other than the money people earn themselves. If the state wishes to spend more, it can do so only by borrowing your savings, or by taxing you more, and it's no good thinking that someone else will pay; that someone else is you. There is no such thing as public money, there is only taxpayers money.And prosperity won’t come by inventing more and more lavish public expenditure programs. You don’t grow richer by ordering another checkbook from the bank. And no nation ever grew more prosperous by taxing its citizens beyond their capacity to pay. We have a duty to make sure every penny piece we raise in taxation is spent wisely and well. For it is our party that is dedicated to good housekeeping.Protecting the taxpayers purse, protecting the public services, these are our two great tasks, and their demands have to be reconciled. How very pleasant it would be, how very popular to say; spend more on this, expand more on that. And we all have our favorite causes, I know I do. But someone has to add up the figures. Every business has to do it, every housewife has to do it, every government should do it, and this one will.”-Margaret Thatcher, 1983 Conservative Party Conference− Arthur Negus, Sioux Falls

More: The healthcare system is failing; this scholarship changed my life: Your letters

Trump's fight goes to the core of the American experience

It is baffling to me how a significant portion of the people in this country who cherish their freedom of speech are more than happy to sit back and watch an Obama appointed judge rob Donald Trump of his. Do they not realize that if partisan judicial hacks can deprive those God given rights from a guy like Trump, they can take them away from any one of us?Regardless your feelings for the man, this goes way beyond personalities and politics. This goes to the core of the American experience. It is the fundamental difference between our republic and most other countries of the world. It is a major part of the reason hordes of people risk everything, including their life, in an attempt to be part of the great American dream.To think that because you don't like what someone says could ever be a justification to take their right to say it away is barbarian at best. It is totalitarian. It goes against the fundamental fiber that urged others, centuries ago, to risk life and limb and everything they possessed to ensure that no one would ever be allowed to do what this Washington, DC judge is attempting.Of course it will be overturned in higher courts. If America is to survive, it must.It is a sad day in America when the blood of all those who fought to preserve this inalienable right can be deemed of no value by a partisan member of the Beltway bench. Only with the exercise of said right by those of us who actually served to defend it can this cancer on our constitution be stopped. If not I, who? If not now, when. If not here, where? This is the proverbial hill that freedom loving Americans must stand their ground. Yes, this is the battle we must fight and if need be, this is the hill where true Americans MUST make their stand.Please contact your federal representatives and let them know you won't stand for this. Even when it is perpetrated against someone you hate.

− Randy Amundson, Sioux Falls

How to submit a letter to the editor:

Letters need to be roughly 300 to 500 words, and will need to include first and last name, address, city and title. Addresses won’t be publicized, of course, but it’s a way for us to make sure those who submit a letter are who they say they are.

Letters will run on Sundays in print and online as we receive them. There may be moments, however, when we don't have any as we work to solicit interest and actively rebuild this part of our coverage for readers.

You can submit those to News Director Shelly Conlon by emailing sconlon@argusleader.com or submit them through our online form here, which also is sent directly to the news director.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Trump and the American experience; abortion in South Dakota: Your letters