Letters to the Editor: Trump losing an election isn’t enough to save democracy

To the editor: Columnist Nicholas Goldberg reassures us that even though we are having problems in American politics, we have been in worse situations before and survived. He cites the 1860s and the circumstances that led to the bloody Civil War, whose issues have not been fully resolved to this day.

Today’s tragedy is that even though former Vice President Joe Biden may beat President Trump, the wide divisions that exist will persist and risk our survival as a democracy. It seems that about 40% of us continue to vigorously support a president who has demonstrated incompetence, racism, disregard for democratic institutions and unethical behavior.

How can one rationalize all this? How can we ever come together again?

I implore all good Americans to get out there and vote. Removing Trump from office will not solve all our problems, but it will be a new beginning and a show that many of us still love this country and value decency and democracy.

Michael Telerant, Los Angeles

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To the editor: We must also go back in history and tell the story again of the rise of fascism. Many of us do not seem to see the parallels in the Trump presidency. His deeds, tweets, statements and insatiable desire to be a dictator are all warning signs.

Goldberg’s examples of past traumas are valuable and demonstrate the volatility as well as the fragility of our democracy. However, this time in history is very different from those examples.

Today, we have a president who is not only inept but is also a danger to our democracy. The enabling Congress has ignored blatant breaches of our Constitution and allowed the president to go on without censure.

Waving the flag, pledging allegiance and singing our national anthem do not protect our nation from tyranny. It is the will of the people expressed at the voting booth that does.

Diane Welch, Cypress