Lawrence Slason is an attorney with more than 40 years of experience in Windham County.
BELLOWS FALLS-The latest lies about the serious national security breach regarding the bombing of Yemen reported on an unsecure chat using the Signal app is just another example of the profound incompetence of Donald Trump and his administration.
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard initially denied they knew anything about the breach until Hegseth and others were confronted with the actual texts from their own phones. The country is being run by amateurs with little to no experience in the administration of the national defense and security departments of which they have been placed in charge.
I am extremely frustrated and profoundly saddened about the decline of America under the present administration and the Republicans who control Congress. The lawmakers are derelict in their duties because they fear having to face primary opponents supported by Trump.
The lack of leadership and destructive forces in the White House are unparalleled in my lifetime.
To put it bluntly: We have a fool in the White House and cowards in Congress.
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Trump will do or say anything to remain the center of attention. His insecurities make him an easy target for manipulation.
Trump is being played by the MAGA movement, which has taken on a cultlike identity. His supporters get their news primarily from Fox News, which reports lies, deceptions, and distortions daily - compare that to other, more neutral media sources such as PBS and BBC, which clearly demonstrate the facts that Fox selectively refuses to report.
Half of America is being intentionally manipulated by selective and deceptive reporting that is similar to state-run media by Russia and China and other authoritarian countries.
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This is a dangerous time. Trump craves the attention of the MAGA cult, which refuses to accept fundamental truths, even when confronted with undeniable facts:
• Trump did lose the 2020 election. The Jan. 6, 2021 mob that attacked the Capitol Building, injured hundreds of persons and security personnel, and caused the death of a police officer were not patriots.
• The leaders of the MAGA platform are racist, sexist, isolationist, intolerant of diversity, and selfish.
• MAGA cleverly preyed upon fears and dissatisfaction of Americans to bring about a "change" without letting Americans know that their change would be an ugly and hate-driven country where the "little guy" is forsaken.
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Enough is enough. Each American needs to stand up and speak out about intolerance and hatred wherever it surfaces. As Americans we need to stand up for our allies and honor the courage and sacrifices of those who gave their lives to keep the United States a free country, welcoming diverse people and cultures, and also a model for world democracy and integrity.
Many Americans compromised their vote, candidly admitting they did not like Trump but liked his "ideas" and experience as a "businessman" - sadly, a reputation built largely on fraud and exploitation.
Some things should not be compromised. We must insist that our political candidates and persons in positions of leadership be capable of fundamental honesty, possess integrity, and have the character of an honorable person whom our children can look up to as a role model.
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At no time in my 71 years as an American citizen have I ever been more dismayed or concerned about the country that I am leaving my children and grandchildren.
I became a lawyer because I believe and understand why rule of law is the foundation of democracy. The American ideal enshrined in the Declaration of Independence - that all Americans have the fundamental right to life, liberty, and personal fulfillment - and our Constitutional guarantee of equal protection and due process for all persons under law runs through my very core.
I will no longer be silent. Henceforth, I intend to speak out and will dedicate my efforts to the ideals on which this country was founded.
I hope others will step forward and help restore honesty and integrity in our government and insist that our elected officials be persons of genuine character and experience worthy of serving in leadership positions.
This Voices Viewpoint was submitted to The Commons.
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