Courage comes in many forms, including a police chief marching in solidarity with people protesting the death of George Floyd or protesters forming a protective barrier around an officer separated from his colleagues. I remember the false bravado of our president during a news conference shortly after the shooting at Stoneman High. “I really believe I’d run in, even if I didn’t have a weapon.”
President Donald Trump recently displayed his undaunted courage when U.S. Park Police and other law enforcement used tear gas and flash-bangs to disperse a crowd of peaceful White House demonstrators so the president could have a photo op at St. John's Episcopal Church (“ Attorney general personally ordered removal of protesters near White House ,” June 2).
I was reminded of the time Sen. Hillary Clinton tweeted, “Just imagine Donald Trump in the Oval Office facing a real crisis. We can’t afford that kind of risk.” America elected an incompetent businessman and former game show host to lead the free world. It’s hard to imagine any other 2016 presidential candidate doing worse.
Fortunately, presidents are elected to four-year terms. This means Americans can remove an incompetent leader after a limited period. Yet, even if Trump were to be voted out this fall, it may take decades to undo his failed legacy. From denying settled science to undermining environmental protections, Trump has prioritized profit over the health of our planet. He promised affordable universal health care, then did his best to deny insurance to tens of millions by gutting the Affordable Care Act. The list goes on.
Sitting in my Minnesota home, trying to get used to the fact I will no longer reside in Las Vegas, my mind drifts back to another letter I wrote a couple years ago in which I envisioned an America without Trump. America and the rest of the world can only hope.
ADVERTISEMENT
James N. Bragge
Carlton
