To the editor:
President Trump has resurrected his long-debunked ravings that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. This outright lie came within days of his retweeting violently and false anti-Muslim videos originally distributed by an ultra-right group in England. Then, when British Prime Minister Theresa May criticized his action, Trump turned his venom on her for calling him out for his irresponsible actions.
And as if this were not enough, the president refuses to speak out against the kind of actions allegedly committed by the Alabama Senate candidate, saying that men who admit their wrongdoing are far worse than those who claim they are purely innocent and the victim of a cover-up so elaborate that it defies logic.
What this tells us about the president is that he is at best a bigot and misogynist at heart. These actions also show us that Trump has no idea that his words have potentially dire consequences for America and the world.
We cannot undo the election, and talk of impeachment is out of line at this time. But what must be done is for all decent and concerned Americans to speak up and condemn in clear terms this racist and anti-woman rhetoric. This includes Republicans at all levels of government, from Vice President Mike Pence, who prides himself on his Christian beliefs, down to those serving at the local level.
A refusal to condemn hate speech in any form is to condone; and the longer the president goes without forceful, public condemnation, the bolder and more reckless in his speech he is likely to become.
Now is the time to speak up and to put decency ahead of party.
Richard Gotshall
Franklin
