Democrats and lessons learned: Letters to the editor, Nov. 18, 2020

Democrats, are you listening this time?

Now that Joe Biden appears to on the way to being our next president I’d like to make a few suggestions on what I think the Democrats should do next. I think they need to do some serious soul searching as to why 70 million Americans would vote for someone as despicable as Donald Trump. There are millions of angry people in this country, and if the Democrats expect anything to change they need to make a serious attempt to understand why.

I believe Democrats could calm things down and gain a lot of support if they would stop their relentless attacks on the Second Amendment. Every time they pass a new law making criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens, it upsets a lot of people, and I’m one of them. I’ve been a registered Democrat for more than 50 years, and recently switched to No Party Preference because I don’t feel like the Democrats are listening to me. After four years of Donald Trump, maybe they will listen now?

Rights and needs of all citizens

The close presidential race shows we are indeed a divided nation. Either winning party will not reflect the beliefs of almost half our citizens. The great challenge to our elected officials is to remember this and govern the country for all its citizens.

Our great challenge as citizens is to remember this and consider others’ rights and needs as we participate in our democracy.

Can we meet this challenge?

A better era is truly dawning in America

Most of these past four years, I’ve felt like a motherless child, wandering dejectedly in a dark and often disturbing forest ...

Today, it’s as if I’ve found home once again, and in the wide and brightly lit doorway, are two wise and welcoming figures who stand on the shoulders of our forefathers and foremothers.

To a better future for our country and all its people.

Yes, it is all about COVID, COVID, COVID

I had hoped to never write of him again, but he won’t go away with statesmanship and dignity. Remember when the top Pentagon brass didn’t have to restate their loyalty to the Constitution after an incumbent lost an election.

On Oct. 24th President Donald Trump said: “COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID. A plane goes down. 500 people dead. They won’t talk about it.” I’m certain there were no plane crashes we didn’t hear about. This was at a time when we were averaging around 1,000 people dying every day of COVID. Then he promised: “COVID, COVID, COVID, COVID, by the way, November 4 you won’t hear about it anymore.”

Donald Trump never wanted to be the president of the United States. He wanted to be President Donald Trump.

Native American mascots must go

Native American mascots have been aggravating Natives for decades, but people won't listen. Schools and national teams around the country are reconsidering removing their offensive Native American-associated mascots. Natives want people to understand the history and the pain that goes with these terms, and to alter the mascots.

How can we, at Fresno High, call ourselves Warriors when most people on campus are clueless of indigenous peoples' point of view. Some feel they are doing Natives a favor but, these mascots are deeply offending them.

We should respect indigenous people. I feel fortunate to have a warrior as my high school mascot, but I also would rather lose the mascot than displease Natives. I support, respect, and value the indigenous people and their cultures. There should be a course one can take learning about the Native American culture and history. People need to know what damage is caused by using offensive mascots.

Many people will brush off this issue and continue discussing other things, but that should change. There needs to be a change, and it needs to happen now. We've gone long enough clueless and unaware. It's time to take a stance. Let's spread the word.

This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Democrats and lessons learned: Letters to the editor, Nov. 18, 2020."