To the Editor,

January 6 happened.  The attempted coup incited by Trump is despicable, grievous, hateful, and abhorrent. I watched the horror with sickening fear and disgust. I was further enraged by insurrectionists carrying the American and Confederate  flags, while they attempted to overthrow a legal election and assault Democracy. Now we hear of the death of five people who were sacrificed on the alter of Trump’s ego and lies.

Trump had the help of power hungry Republicans in both the Senate and House who sacrificed their conscience to continue the lie that the Presidential election had been rigged. The right wing media dispenses “alternative truths,” which are nothing other than lies intended to manipulate the  uninformed, bigoted, spiteful, angry and resentful folk who feel they have nothing to lose. As a result, they are easily attracted to shiny objects, whether they be a con artist with orange makeup shouting disparaging rants and lies or Fox News and similar platforms who broadcast “shock and awe” rumors, innuendos, and lies. These are all soaked up by people whose minds are filled with video games, spectator sports, violent shows, formats of disparaging negativity, and winner/loser competitions. There seems to be a severe problem with separating reality from fantasy; fiction from nonfiction. Seems that too little is invested in critical thinking, reading, learning, debating, or investigating for the truth.

What were the first things Fox News reported after the riot? Did they condemn the insurrectionists or Trump’s inciting of an attempted coup? No! Instead they insist that they weren’t Trump people….but Antifa dressed up like Trumpers.  Then a heavy dose of ”Oh, yeah, what about the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer?” Yes, there was sadly some rioting after George Floyd’s murder. But, the nationwide  protests for racial justice were overall peaceful. Questions do arise why those protests were so heavily policed while the attack on the Capital was so obviously under defended.

People whose ears are tuned into pedophilia in a pizza restaurant basement, ballots hidden in an air conditioner repairman’s truck or voter machine interference instigated by long dead Hugo Chaves, or a Trump approved doctor who claims alien DNA  in humans are not dealing with reality. Why is it easier to accept such craziness over truth and facts? There is no “fake news” other than what Trump and his enablers and supporters use to poison the minds of the willing. Stoke those minds with misinformation, threats and fear and they become malleable and willing participants in the lies.

What makes them so willing to believe the lies that have been proven many times over to be false? It’s brain washing. A mass delusion. Tell a lie enough times to people who don’t access other information and they sadly believe it.  That is the secret of the Trump cult.  

However, realizing how Trump has destroyed and failed at all he has done, should be a warning to his followers. His previous big lies: Barack Obama was not born in the United States,  Mexico will pay for the wall, the coronavirus would go away in the spring, there was no quid por quo made to the Ukranian President or attempt to compromise the Georgia Secretary of State, and that the Presidential election was stolen. These are all “misdemeanors” when compared to the attempted coup to overturn the election results with an illegal seizure of government.

There must be consequences for Trump’s act of sedition. Whether using the 25th Amendment or an Impeachment which includes conviction, Trump’s disregard for the Constitution, Democracy, and America must be punished.

The Congressional men and women who supported the false idea of a fraudulent election for political power should also face consequences whether legal or dismissal from Congress. 

America, the greatest Democracy on earth, selected Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as our a new President and Vice President through a fair and lawful election as it has for over 250 years.   That is the truth!

Dorothy Eskeli

New York Mills