Not an insurrection
Re “Affirm it” (Your Views, Jan. 9): Believe me, I wish anyone but former President Donald Trump were the leading contender for the GOP presidential primary, and I don’t understand why he has the polling numbers he has, however, Ronald McLemore makes a couple mistakes in his letter regarding the 14th Amendment and Trump.
First, Trump has never been charged nor convicted of “insurrection” for the riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The impeachment of Trump, by mostly party lines in the House, was a political process, not criminal. Second, the Justice Department’s official findings regarding Jan. 6 were “there was no grand scheme” to overthrow the U.S. government.
Those are President Joe Biden’s own Justice Department’s words. I know the extreme left would like to twist the post-Civil War 14th Amendment into a pretzel to prevent Trump from running, but it just doesn’t fit. And we as a country will be all the better when the Supreme Court straightens out both Colorado’s and Maine’s rulings.
Steve Davis, Virginia Beach
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Equal justice
A schoolgirl allegedly pepper sprayed her teacher because he took away her phone. This brings me to my point. Our youth are being taught that, because of their age, just about anything goes. Our liberal society has decided that punishing the young for criminal activity should be replaced by understanding and probation, if any punishment at all. If the teacher had struck back (as he should have), he would probably have been fired. The young people know this and are taking full advantage.
We must rid our government of those who are furthering this philosophy and replace them with leaders who rightly believe in adult punishment for adult crimes. Whether the offender is 15 years old or 50 years old is irrelevant when one is being dragged to the ground and having his or her car stolen. The crime, not the age of the offender, is the main concern of the victim, and punishment should be based on that fact.
Today’s parents must assume the role of disciplinarian for their children. Sadly, when the parents do not, the government must step in and take over this role. As a young man, I never got into trouble, not because I was “understood” by my parents, but because I was well aware of the consequences that would be provided by my father; he was strict but fair. This philosophy should be applied to today’s offending youth.
They must learn that there will be consequences to their actions if there is to be any hope of them becoming decent, productive adults.
Ashton Haywood, Hampton
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Trump’s words
We can name and call things whatever we want, but by doing so, it doesn’t make it true. We all could cite many examples of this happening in today’s world, but I’ll just stick with one that is pertinent to today: Jan. 6, 2021. Many called what occurred Jan. 6 an insurrection. Others call it a riot. Words and definitions matter, and on something as serious as this, facts, logic and unemotional analysis are critical.
My analysis then and supported by the known facts is that this was a riot, pure and simple. I’m not sure how anyone can interpret it as an insurrection. The only person killed was a woman. She was Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran, who was shot through a broken window in a door by a police officer.
Now to make my position on former President Donald Trump clear, I did not agree with or support his actions in the months after the 2020 election leading up to this riot. And he shares a significant portion of the blame for the riot that occurred that day. But he acknowledged that those in attendance that day would march “over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
Now, imagine if he had told his followers to violently charge into the Capitol building to stop the certification of the electoral votes? Now that could then be rightfully classified as an insurrection.
Rob Levinsky, Norfolk
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Presidential election
When elections are held in Iran, the names on the ballot are only those that have been approved by the religious leaders of the country. In America we now have the Colorado Supreme Court making decisions about who will be on the ballot.
President Joe Biden said in his speech at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, that he and the Democrats were the protectors of freedom and democracy. However, they might decide what kind of car you drive and how it is powered. They might decide what kind of appliances you have in your kitchen. They might decide what kind of light bulbs you use. They might decide what vaccinations you have.
Riots in our big cities are just considered a relief valve for pent-up rage. Our borders are wide open, and our immigration laws are not enforced. Millions of people have entered our country illegally and are living at taxpayer expense. I could go on, but I think you get the point. The Democratic Party is not the party of freedom and democracy.
Robert McDonnell, Suffolk