My favorite section of this newspaper has always been the Opinion page. I always pay particular attention to those letters from former military personnel. As opposed to many of our pseudo-patriot neighbors who have replaced experience and knowledge with little more than partisan political ideology, the service of former military has earned them the right to have their opinions heard.
When I saw “United States Marine Corps (retired),” I therefore gave the author the respect of reading and considering his opinion. [“Act before this country is irreversibly torn asunder,” Letters to the Editor, July 14]
It was disheartening, therefore, to read that Mr. John P. Craig of Magnolia has slid into the pit of ignorance with his knee-jerk reaction to the propaganda of the Black Lives Matter thugs.
One statement is particularly revealing. “My president, I am sad and practically grieved to say, is powerless to do anything about the systematic, organized, and government-supported murder of innocent black men and people of color in America.”
Mr. Craig, “Are you serious?” Obama “powerless”? “… systematic, organized, and government-supported murder?” “… innocent black men and people of color”? It appears that you have made up your mind before any evidence is formally presented. If you are indeed “sad and practically grieved,” it is caused by your biased emotional response.
There has been no evidence presented of “murder” taking place. there has been no evidence presented that these men were “innocent.” And, if Obama is “powerless,” it is because he chooses to treat these issues as political, instead of searching for the truth. But the real problem here is the fact that you, and too many others like you, fall into lockstep and react without even considering the facts in these matters.
Your verbal support of the U.S. Constitution does not coincide with you actions. Perhaps you should consider the concept of “innocent until proven guilty”!
David C. Pleasanton
Smyrna