Opinion: Birther Donald Trump vs. civil rights hero John Lewis

To the editor: Jonah Goldberg demonstrates that the editorial counterpart to “fake news” is “fake logic” in the opinion section. (“Trump says he’ll unite the country. Yeah, right,” Opinion, Jan. 16)

He starts by blithely stating, “Put aside Trump’s specific shortcomings for the moment,” and then proceeds to do a hatchet job on Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), accusing the civil rights icon of “poisonous cynicism.”

The worst logical violation is his statement that “Lewis may have reason to believe that Trump did not win fair and square, but questioning Trump’s legitimacy is exactly what the Russians probably wanted from the beginning: to undermine Western and American faith and confidence in democracy.” Goldberg is asserting that even if the Russians helped steal the presidency, we should be quiet so we don’t give them what “they wanted,” even if what they wanted was to elect Donald Trump.

Goldberg fails to mention Trump’s espousal of birtherism, which was truly based on “poisonous cynicism”: For unlike Russian interference in our democracy, it was supported by no facts whatsoever.

Ed Shalom, Valencia

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To the editor: There is a long-held notion that a common enemy creates allies. If Trump’s post-election actions and sinking poll numbers continue into his administration, he may very well succeed in unifying the country for the first time in decades and making America one again.

This is probably not what he had in mind when he stated that he would be a president for all the people.

Bob Hunka, Los Angeles

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To the editor: Goldberg knows that there was a polar shift in the two political parties because of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights acts, yet he attempts to cloud the truth of who the racists were.

Jon Hartmann, Los Angeles

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