Opinion: Trump’s inaugural address does little to allay these readers’ fears

To the editor: Eight years ago I was staying at a remote tent “resort” in Thailand on the day Barack Obama was inaugurated. The only place in this complex that had electricity was the dining area. I had noticed the night before that there was a television in that room.

On the morning of the inauguration, I awoke in the middle of the night local time and stumbled in the dark to the dining room and turned on the TV. As I sat alone and watched with tears rolling down my face, another guest (a Danish clergyman) walked in. He looked at me and said, “Congratulations to you, congratulations to your country, congratulations to the world.”

Today there are no congratulations around the world. Today there is only fear. Today we inaugurated as president a man who has major conflicts of interest, refuses to release his tax returns, spews lies and hateful rhetoric, disdains the press, declares NATO to be obsolete, encourages other nations to develop nuclear weapons, promotes an agenda that will make the rich richer and the poor poorer, may destroy the rights of women and minorities, could bring our nation into conflict with major world powers and (most frightening of all) destroy all efforts to protect our environment from the ravages of climate change.

The world is not celebrating today and neither am I.

Barbara Sobin-Rosen, Fullerton

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To the editor: It was troubling to see President Trump’s inaugural address, which unlike most before him was not positive but rather one that focused more on what is wrong with America instead of what is right with it.

Trump will soon realize that in order to be a good president, he needs a unifying message that appeals to Americans from across the political spectrum. He hasn’t demonstrated he is capable of doing that, and I hope now that he is in the awesome, powerful office, such a needed behavior change will occur so he can govern effectively.

Steven M. Clayton, Ocean, N.J.

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To the editor: Wow. Still in campaign mode, Trump managed to deliver yet again another nasty, insulting and mean spirited tirade disguised as an inauguration speech.

His complete disregard for everyone who came before him was truly horrible and painful to watch, let alone listen to. The depths of his narcissism has no limit and he truly is a complete embarrassment to humankind.

Believe what you see before your eyes. The truth has never been so frightening.

Frances Terrell Lippman, Sherman Oaks

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To the editor: While the new president is going to present some interesting challenges in the future, he is only a messenger. The parties and media had better wake up and do some self examining.

A large percentage of the population are not happy with the way things are going, economically and socially, and the parties need to address this. Also, the media need to reevaluate. Candidate Trump was considered a joke, a publicity stunt and got a lot superficial coverage; it was assumed he would drop out. They failed to ask a lot of hard questions.

Now we have President Trump. Maybe if the media treated every candidate with equal respect and coverage, no matter how unlikely the odds are that the candidate will succeed, then the vetting process would be more thorough.

Tony Schaffer Los Angeles

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To the editor: A note to my fellow Americans on Inauguration Day 2017:

Don’t you dare mourn today. Put on your colors and thank your God in heaven for what you have. While you’re there, ask forgiveness for how you’ve contributed to the decline of decency and go love your neighbor. Wait, just go love your family — that appears to be rather difficult.

Do not condemn, do not label or and do not judge. Get on your knees or on your feet and do something to make this world a better place. And might I so unoriginally suggest: starting with yourself?

Dammit, I only have black clothes.

Lucy Martin, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Trump is now president. It’s mourning in America.

Art Detman, Pacific Palisades

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