Join in, GOP

To my fellow Americans across the political aisle, the Republicans, please help. As you see President Donald Trump and Elon Musk tear our country apart, remember your duty to the Constitution to “fight the enemy, both foreign and domestic.” It is now clear that these two do not have America’s best interests in mind.

In fact, I believe they are traitors. I spoke with someone who works in national cybersecurity the other day, someone terrified of the many cuts made that have weakened our defenses. I also spoke with someone working in research for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who told me his staff was being drastically cut and said this was “not a good time, as we are on the brink of another pandemic.”

You Republicans won. You control all three branches of government. Now please, do the right thing and admit you made a mistake in electing a tyrant who has gone off the rails. Defend your country. Join the rest of us in resisting these traitors. Please, our great country needs your help. Make America Great Again. Get rid of Trump!

Edward Bielaski

Santa Fe

Cherish free speech

The ceremony at the Roundhouse in support of Palestinian self-determination was beautifully organized and deeply moving. Diverse speakers, musicians, artists and poets spoke to our grief over genocide from Native America to Palestine and to our commitment to dignity, equality and human rights for all people. Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, disgraced herself by hurling insults at everyone assembled as we exercised our freedom of speech, something to cherish and protect as our country grows more authoritarian by the day. As a Jewish-American I assure you, she did not speak for me.

Charlotte Levinson

Santa Fe

Here to plunder

I don’t think the current political situation should come as a surprise to anyone. Shocking maybe, but not surprising. Historically we have been viewed as the land of milk and honey, our riches there for the taking.

When gold was found in California in the 1840s, a fever struck the world. People came from as far away as Australia, Russia, Chile and China.

We have a history, almost a genetic consciousness, to take what we want because we can. People didn’t come here to care for each other. They came to plunder. It’s no surprise today we have a plunderer in chief. Half the country admires that very bravado. Teachers and nurses be damned. Environment? Health care? Not here.

Richard Folks

Santa Fe

Trashed out

I frequently hike the Chili Line trail along the Rio Grande. Last week, we ran across a pickup load of trash, dumped by the river. We collected copious examples of identifying trash. I contacted the U.S. Forest Service but workers were unable to respond because their law enforcement arm had just been gutted by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. We’ve cleaned up the trash but hate the unintended consequences of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Alan Fiske-Williams

Santa Fe