To the Editor,
Like millions of other Americans around the country I have been going to rallies to protest what Trump is doing. The response from passersby is overwhelmingly positive: waves, thumbs up, “thank yous,” supportive honks. Maybe only 5-10% scream profanities, flip the bird or spew out clouds of diesel fumes.
At a recent rally on Memorial Day Eve, a threesome in a jeep screamed, “Seig Heil” and “Trump all the way!” as they shoved their hands in a Nazi salute. On Memorial Day Eve!
The signs at the rallies cover all topics: Trump’s corruption, Musk’s DOGE cuts, the incompetent cabinet picks, tariffs, cuts to SNAP and Medicaid and even Medicare to cover tax cuts to billionaires, laying off/firing/ending FEMA, National Weather Service, National Parks and nuclear plant workers, trashing Zelensky, Trump’s pardons to January Six rioters, threats to Universities and law firms, and on and on.
The conversations at the rallies often go something like this: The World War Two generation gave us a huge gift. Trump is throwing it all away and we will NEVER get it back.
Our presence at rallies sends the message: Stand up! Speak out! Defend democracy!
Donna Buckbee
Rushford MN
Margo Aakre says
Thank you Donna for your courage to stand up. People are becoming fearful to exercise their freedom of speech, myself included.
Mr Boyum, I take offense to your comments. It seems your saying anyone not in line with trump policy is “without God”
God is very relevant to me. I believe in evil and I believe in fighting it.
I’ve recently read “To banish forever”, a history of the secret society, “knights of the forest” to banish the native American population from Minnesota. In the book Cathy Coats writes “it’s members used political power, intimidation, and racial intolerance to promote their cause, but cloaked themselves in the rhetoric of noble defense.
His latest, the “big beautiful bill” if passed will take 700 billion from medicade, downsize or illiminate FEMA taking away from the poor, disabled, elderly and those most in need.
Throughout the Gospels is Christs love for the poor and marginalized and calling his followers to do the same.
Gerald J. Boyum says
Both of you should ask who organizes such protests and who benefits from them-not America! Also, the radical Left defines “democracy” as “when we are in charge”; then it makes sense when they make charges that “Trump is a threat to ‘democracy’ “, and why we have “Trump Derangement Syndrome”.
“Millions of other Americans…” Funny, I haven’t seen anything about these “rallies” even from liberal news media. “threesome in a jeep…”, leftists masquerading as conservatives? It wouldn’t be the first time. Or is it a somewhat veiled attempt at labelling Trump as “Hitler”? If he really was like Hitler, there would be a lot of people in our universities and news media who wouldn’t be around anymore. Also, guess who is attempting to control all the information made available to the voting public; political activists masquerading as news reporters, indoctrinators instead of teachers and professors (what to think vs. how to think, etc.), preaching diversity, but not in politics. Many departments in our universities today are nothing more than seminaries in leftism with 100% of their professors donating to the Democratic Party.
Another serious problem in our “higher education” universities is flagrant antisemitism which has been going on for some time now. Both donors and Trump are rightly cutting funding until they clean this up. Our universities were founded with a charter of searching for truth and training of pastors-talk about mission creep! If they don’t clean up their acts, they should lose their accreditations. I think a couple of university presidents have resigned already.
At any rate, why would anyone protest and block efforts to make America great again, unless it would interfere with plans to increase a political party’s attempt of total control of our country- putting political power and personal benefits over our country. Trump is an American president who not only stated that he works for the American people but also is working to make it a reality. Radical Leftists define “democracy” as “when we are in charge” not the normal definition, “rule by the people.”
The 3rd paragraph: leftists would do well by staying away from topics like corruption, incompetence, DOGE, tax cuts, etc.
1. Corruption. Weaponizing government agencies against conservatives and rogue district judges assuming jurisdiction way outside of their districts are some examples.
2. Musk’s DOGE cuts. He’s only doing what any good manager or owner would do; spend resources to efficiently accomplish primary objectives to ensure the viability of their organizations. Those of us who have served in the military are well familiar with Inspector General Compliance and Capability Inspections. I had the “pleasure” of serving as Inspector as well as Inspectee at American bases in Europe and American Munitions Units which provided support to host tactical fighter wings with NATO missions.
3. Incompetent cabinet picks. I doubt if you or anyone else have accurate job descriptions of the 14 cabinet picks, performance evaluation forms or experience in these areas to make such assertions.
The most critical consideration, especially during a presidential election, is the political ideologies associated with the candidates. You are not electing just the “Chief Executive”, but also the people who will be working with the President and elsewhere. The most critical responsibility of any leader is:
1. Defense. The #1 priority is to protect the American people and American interests at home and abroad. Border control is a critical part of national defense. Failure here in defense and nothing else matters. Trump:
– Directed rebuilding of US military, acting to counter Iran and block its path for acquiring nuclear weapons, and acting to strengthen NATO
– Is working to build a border wall despite fierce obstruction from a party that places political power over national security and personal safety.
– Formed new Space Command to counter weaponization of space by potential enemies.
2. Promote American prosperity. A strong economy benefits all people and is a major factor in defense considerations. Trump:
– Withdrew US from job-killing deals such as Trans-Pacific Partnership and unfair Paris Climate Accord.
– Jump-started America’s workers and economy by cutting taxes and getting rid of job-killing regulations
– Unlocked America’s vast energy resources. Energy policies have resulted in America as the #1 energy oil producer with many more job opportunities.
– Is defending rights such as freedom of religion and right to life.
3. Biden Proposals. A Biden victory in the next election will mean a 3rd term of a former president who will try to undo all the good that Trump has accomplished- “fundamental transformation”. Biden will promote:
– Reduced spending on military and police.
– Rejoining Paris Climate Accord.
– Cutting off spending for border wall and possibly even tear it down.
– Increased taxes on businesses and individuals.
– Renewed attacks on Christians, conservatives, law enforcement.
In summary, as noted by past actions and comments, Biden and the radical Dem. Socialists are anti-God, anti-America, anti-Christian, anti-fundamental rights such as freedom of religion, right to defend oneself, anti-rule of law, anti-capitalism, anti-family, etc. In short, they are against everything that the West and America stand for. The choice could not be clearer: American Conservatism/Republican with Trump who gets the right things done or Dem. Socialism with that other guy.
Is it going to be a prosperous future with individual liberty that has resulted in the greatest country to ever have existed, or possibly catastrophic failure and misery that has failed every time it has been tried in the real world? If you and others claim to love America, then vote accordingly. Try to overcome all the propaganda and indoctrination designed to increase political power of one party and the wealth that goes with that power. It’ll be the top party hacks and the managers of the means of production who consider themselves “more equal” than the rest of us. And the rest of us do not matter at all! “For the people” means only certain people”!
Any opinions about boys and men allowed to compete in women’s sports? I watched a match where a woman tried to compete against a man in boxing. I wonder how many men boxers thought that maybe that “man” would like to try me instead of beating up that poor woman! I give her credit for trying, but she was naturally overmatched.
L Vaughn says
Thank you for your comment! Great article and great comment! Thank youboth
Gerald J. Boyum says
It’s good that God is relevant to you, but are you sure that the candidates that you are voting for do not fall under the description provided by Barack Lurie (my Jun 4th comments)? There are 15 Bible verses about electing leaders to guide Christians in choosing Godly Authority and Government. For example Exodus 18-21: “But select capable men from all the people-men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain…”
Cite your source relating to “the big beautiful bill” and FEMA.
Gerald J. Boyum; Rochester, MN says
Congratulations, Donna, you seem to have swallowed the Radical Left propaganda put out by political activists masquerading as news reporters and teachers, professors, etc.. Hook, line and sinker!
The people in the jeep would not be welcome in conservative gatherings either. Or is this just a veiled “Trump is Hitler” statement. Actually, if Trump really was Hitler, there would be a lot of people in the news media, universities, and politics who wouldn’t be around anymore. As part of my 30 years in the Air Force, I spent six years total in Germany and personally knew people who grew up first under Naziism and then under Communism in East Germany – not much difference, both totalitarian! We were in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down- I would not have believed that it was possible even a year before it actually happened. It was President Reagan who appealed to the Russian leader to “Tear down this wall!”
It’s interesting to note one of the big differences between America and Communist countries: they build walls to keep people in their countries; we build walls to prevent people from illegally coming into our country!
I’ve wondered how some people could consider illegal immigrants over US citizens and criminals over law-abiding citizens or wondering why Iran shouldn’t have nuclear weapons when other countries have them. Barack Lurie in “Atheism Kills” answers this key question.
Those who truly are without God or those who consider Him irrelevant, don’t recognize the very existence of evil. In a universe without God, there cannot be any such thing as objective “evil”. They view such man-made mayhem in the same ways they view unfortunate natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, and fires.
But that is not the same thing as recognizing evil itself. When you recognize that evil exists, you see it as a thing, an enterprise in and of itself. And then you also know that there is an obligation to fight it. It is not good enough to love the good. You must also hate evil.
The godless don’t hate evil because they have willingly blinded themselves to its very existence, especially if they see it only like they see an earthquake. And because they don’t even recognize evil, they logically would conclude there is no need to confront it. After all, it doesn’t exist. Earthquakes, fires and floods exist, sure, but “evil”? No-I can’t see it or feel it the same way, so it mustn’t be real. They’ll tell you there are only bad choices.
But calling it “bad choices” is just a cop-out diversion. Recognizing “evil” would in a sense mean that they also recognize an absolute moral code of some sort.
To them, there is no “absolute” moral code. That would imply a creator, so we can’t have that. Instead, they come up with seemingly sagacious phrases like “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter” [meaning all notions of what evil is, is relative], …”
“And so, not surprisingly, it is mostly the godless who proclaim there is a moral equivalence between Israel and her terrorist enemies or between America and the dictators of the world. It is mostly they who proclaim that all cultures are equally valid and have equal value. Sure, cultures that have killed millions and those that have made human sacrifices?
It is only those who reject God, or for whom God is irrelevant to their lives, who can arrive at this way of thinking. They never see it. That’s because their intellectual programming must shut out any notion of evil. To recognize evil as such is to implicitly recognize the existence of a Creator—and a Creator who demands morality from us. So to them, evil “does not compute.”
p.134 :The rule is simple: Where a dictatorship has no God, a human will become God. Plenty of evil men will be happy to oblige. And many are willing to follow them.
Back Page: In Atheism Kills, Barack Luire exposes the horrors of a world without God. Contrary to the mantra we’ve heard time and time again that religion is responsible for more deaths than anything else, it is in from the absence of God which has killed—in obscene numbers. Ever since atheism first assumed government control in the French Revolution, it has done nothing but kill.
Atheism has killed through its many deputies: progressivism, eugenics, fascism, and communism. Lurie shows that it was the godlessness in each of these ideologies that killed hundreds of millions. (Over 100 million citizens killed by their governments in the 20th century alone in their quests for a man-made utopia and elimination of all people who opposed them.)
But atheism doesn’t just kill lives. It kills purpose, free will, beauty, compassion, a sense of the past and future, creativity, and freedom itself. Atheism offers only the horrors of chaos and totalitarianism.
The world misplaces its focus on Radical Islam as the greatest threat to civilization. As horrible as Radical Islam is, it is doing nothing and having no sense of self (what it means to be an American) which are the true enemies. It was our will to fight and sense of mission that overcame fascism and communism. We must have these to keep Radical Islam at bay too.
This is why we must resist the growth of atheism. It was God who gave us our freedom. It was God who gave us our sense of purpose* that created civilization. Take those away, and there is nothing to fight for. In this way, Lurie shows us that the lack of belief in God is our greatest danger in ourselves on earth and threat to our lives in the hereafter.
Greg Rendahl says
Thanks both for a fine letter and for printing it.