To the Editor,

Amidst the turmoil and uncertainty of Trump’s courts and congress lunging away from constitutional rule in mindless and formerly illegal directions, there remains opportunities for great leadership to slow the damage and set new courses to get back on track. The most positive indication was the remarkable display of dedication to democracy, courage and strength right here in the great state of Minnesota. 

Thank you, Twin Cities, for being the hub of protests in subzero weather against the cruelty of an attempted ICE invasion. This display of loyal opposition demonstrated to the rest of the country and our friends around the world the fight to restore our vibrant democracy is just starting. Next is the huge NO KINGS rallies in late March, leading into midterm election campaigning and protecting our right to vote.

The first period of Trump’s second term has been a complete and total disaster for all but the uber wealthy, major stockholders and certain political classes. Our formidable military machine has been used to conduct illegal and senseless murders on the high seas, unprovoked and unnecessary invasions of foreign nations with plans to do more, all without congressional approval. The now common practice of bypassing inconvenient laws, regulations and processes may be expedient but dangerous in the hands of incompetent, ambitious leadership.

  We all know the senseless, unnecessary acts of cruelty in the close the border strategy while extraditing people who don’t match Steven Miller’s views on worthy residents just to fill his quotas. Most have been found to be hard working, tax paying, skilled, hardworking migrants filling jobs with work ethics we’ve lost. And now, there is an urgent plea to invigorate the guest worker programs.

The most senseless and ill planned ventures is the war in Iran. Iran has posed no real threat to countries outside their neighbors in the Middle East, certainly not trans-oceanic as we are. Their nuclear threat has been overblown as well. Within hours of a nuclear launch, the bomb carrying vehicle(s) would be detected and destroyed. If not, the aftermath is too hard to contemplate worldwide.

Trump and his incompetent Secretaries of State, Defense (now War), and Vice President are playing childish games with our great military power, bragging about the thousands of people dead and crippled for life and trillions of dollars in essential residential and industrial infra-structure in piles of now useless concrete and metals. At least half of our defense posture has been lost simply by alienating our former allies, sowing distrust of our promises to stand with them.

This unnecessary war could and should end today but Trump’s inability to accept losing will likely prolong it into an indefinite drain on our personnel, cause thousands more innocent deaths and reduce our industrial advantages until who knows? No one knows.

Yet the core strength of our nation, We the People, remains strong and resilient and will be stronger yet when our battles to win our country back frees us to march forward again just as we did after previous wars.

Lee Purrier,

Park Rapids, Minn.