Dear editor:

A July 2 letter to the editor from Pat Winlow titled “divisive rhetoric isn’t good for nation” was a well written, respectful opinion. Thankfully, we live in one of the few countries in this world where a person can express it.  

Unfortunately, that freedom of expression is systematically and intentionally being eroded by the ruling class under the rhetoric banner of “democracy.”

Examples:

1. Encouraging (by non-enforcement of existing laws and ordering law enforcement to stand down) illegal invasion of this country by millions of undocumented and unvetted people who are then provided taxpayer-funded medical care, lodging, given EBT cards each month, even a cellphone.

2. Allowing a small (5.2% according to UCLA Institute of Law) percentage to paint a gay pride flag on a street, then arresting and charging anyone who dares to walk on said street with a felony hate crime. In addition, forcing sexual indoctrination of our children through pro-LBGTQ-plus propaganda, drag queen presentations, and pornographic children’s books in public education.

3. The U.S. is still sending an estimated 40 million taxpayer dollars a week — 2.9 billion to date — to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan since the August 2021 military withdrawal. This is in addition to the estimated 7 billion taxpayer dollars worth of new military equipment left behind.

This is just three of the many examples available. Agreed, divisive rhetoric is not good. But it is not divisive rhetoric when one side incessantly pushes a narrative that denounces a different opinion from their agenda, shouts down as “racist” any viewpoint differing from theirs, and weaponizes government agencies to subvert and attempt imprisonment of any political ideology or person who happens to not agree with their stated program.

Nobody seeks conflict. But there comes a time when enough is enough, and the line in the sand must be defended. Our Founding Fathers drew that line, and millions of Americans have defended it with, as the last sentence in the Declaration of Independence states, “and for support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”

Francis Scott Key, the author of the Star Spangled Banner, was a lawyer by profession who also did not believe in divisive rhetoric or conflict. In fact, he was on a British ship in Chesapeake Bay negotiating the release of a civilian American doctor and Americans held prisoners on the ship by the British. After a successful negotiation for the doctor, the British would not let them leave the ship because they were preparing to bombard the American Fort McHenry and did not want to risk giving advance notice.

There were 15 British warships in that bay. They had already burned and looted the White House, the Capitol Building, the Treasury and the War Department buildings. Now they were going to destroy Fort McHenry, the last obstacle left before a land invasion. They began their assault at dusk and it continued throughout the night. 

There is a letter (which still survives and is on display at Fort McHenry) written by Captain Joseph Nicholson, who was inside Fort McHenry when it was being shelled relentlessly by the British fleet. Captain Nicholson stated “we felt like pigeons, tied by the legs, being shot at.”

When dawn came the armada had depleted their cannon supplies and began to turn away.  The commander of the fort then ordered the replacement of the now-tattered flag with a gigantic 32x40-foot American flag to let the British know the Americans had held their ground and were still there. Being an eyewitness, Francis Key immediately changed his mind and inspired him so much he began writing “The Star Spangled Banner,” which contains four verses — we only sing the first verse. An excellent video documenting this part of American history is found at youtube.com/watch?v=3owwHHiK904.

We are now living under the same type of repressive rule our forefathers — and succeeding generations of Americans since then — have committed themselves to repel. I do not believe the statement “this country is now controlled by people who hate it and want to destroy everything it stands for” is divisive rhetoric. I believe this is the belief of frustrated Americans who are finally standing up and declaring the reality that the emperor has no clothes and we are in serious trouble if we do not immediately address things as they actually exist. Enough is enough. 

 Mike Tooke

Powell