6 hours Ago By Chicago Tribune
Donald Trump’s continued rise is a layered approach that started long ago. One of the most effective things Trump did when he came down the escalator stairs in 2015 was to drill in the idea that we can’t trust the free press. The result? People trusted only him or the media that supported him.
Next, Trump undercut our trust in the government. Of course, some of this already existed, but he amplified it and then leaned into misinformation on social media. Then somehow people began slowly bequeathing him so much power that our elected officials became afraid to stand up to him for fear of retribution from him or the electorate.
And now we are seeing that respected newspapers are even afraid to stand up to him, including the Tribune’s corporate leadership. The result is that people who once trusted mainstream media are now also among those who mistrust it. How does a single man hold this much power? How have we allowed it? Do we see that we are already in the spiral downward? It happens a little bit at a time.
But it’s Trump’s genius, and it’s very effective. We have afforded this man too much power — and I don’t mean just the office of the presidency. In the end, it seems we will trust no one — but him, of course.
And that’s exactly what he planned. — Kathy Spotts, St. Charles It’s interesting to see the dichotomies in the great articles in the Tribune and the letters to the editor from the Tribune’s readers.
I’d like to add my thoughts to those of the many letter writers with whom I agree and with those I might not. Regarding the Nov. 11 front-page article about World War II Marine Pfc.
Delbert Tuttle ( “‘I’m just so proud of him'” ), I read it with a bit of emotion as I pictured my older cousins and uncles in WWII and what they went through. Then on Page 9, as I do every day, I read the letters to the editor on how the Tribune Editorial Board completely played truant in providing an honest and above-board analysis of what really was happening in the election for president. Perhaps the editorial board should read some of the articles published in the Tribune about those real heroes who gave their all for this country.
They might learn a valuable lesson about pragmatism over outdated ideology. — Harvey Orlov, Glenview The past few years have been topsy-turvy. It’s definitely time to move on for the sake of our great republic.
President-elect Donald Trump and President Joe Biden met this week. They shook hands. Let’s move forward.
Biden in January should pardon Trump. When he is sworn in, Trump should pardon Hunter Biden. As painful as it will be for some, we need to let the past become pages in our history books.
As the old saying goes: We have bigger fish to fry. — Mark Renz, Oak Lawn The American people won! — Roberto l. Garcia, Chicago When he was president, Donald Trump famously chose not to receive the president’s daily brief, the task of every president.
Instead, Trump would often spend his mornings in his quarters watching TV and tweeting. Six years ago this week, Trump flew to France for Armistice Day on the centennial of the end of World War I. Leaders of the Western alliance came together to remember the war and to display unity.
At the last minute, Trump ghosted the event. That was but one example of Trump’s attitude toward his office. He had one job to do on that trip.
Contrary to the editorial of Nov. 7 ( “Trump’s win was a stunning repudiation of the chattering classes” ), it is Trump who has abandoned the working class. He has no respect for people who show up and do their job.
— Michael Glass, Valparaiso, Indiana This election has shaken me to the core, and I feel deeply wounded. I know that because of different experiences in our lives, many cannot relate to how I feel. I need to explain.
To all the women in this country, I would like to say I am sorry. I am sorry to all of you who have experienced gender inequality as I have. To those of you who have been told at some point in your lifetime that “you can’t because you are a girl,” as I have, I am sorry.
To those of you who have fought for equal opportunities as I have, I am sorry. To those of you who have experienced being paid less than your male co-workers as I have, I am sorry. To all of you who have been more qualified and less respected than the men on the job as I have, I am sorry.
To all the women who came before me and forged the way so that I can vote, own property and control my own body, I am sorry. To all the women who have been sexually harassed or verbally and physically abused, I am sorry. But most of all, I am sorry to all the women in this country who did not think that taking a stand against the denigration of women was important enough.
If we do not respect ourselves, how can we expect others to respect us? What hurts the most is that we as women (the largest voting bloc in the country) allowed a man to cross a line of decency, and we didn’t stand up and say, “ No way. ” By awarding this man with the position of presidency, we have made it acceptable to think of and treat women as less. This is something I cannot forgive.
Many women have worked and fought too hard for our rights, respect and opportunities. We must stand together and never expect less. I understand that many in our country feel that we need change, but to vote for change by forfeiting the future of our daughters and granddaughters is a disgrace.
I am also sorry because I feel partly responsible for this outcome. Many women my age who experienced these issues have became complacent. Younger women don’t know our history, and others have forgotten.
We stopped talking about it. I hope that we will keep this conversation alive. — Kathy Campisi Freeman, Tinley Park In 1961, President John F.
Kennedy, in his inaugural address, said, ”Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” In 1951, during my high school graduation address as salutatorian, I said, “We find too many people saying: ‘What has the world to offer me?’ Instead, at this time, we should be asking: ‘What have you to offer the world?’ As the world is likened to a great stage and all of us are players, we must do the acting and obtain the results that will make this world appear a little brighter.” I’d like to believe that I was plagiarized by such a man (joking), but I do wish more Democrats would heed the advice of Kennedy.
It is difficult to believe that so many current leaders of the party are promising to thwart Donald Trump’s objectives without even investigating their usefulness for our nation! — Richard Husby, St. Charles More than 200 years ago, people began fleeing persecution and authoritarianism to come to a new country. Our country’s growth and prosperity were built on the efforts of those not born here.
Many years later, thousands fled Nazi dominance and antisemitism to come here. It seems like this country has come full circle, preying on the groups that sought safe haven in the U.S.
What have we become? It’s truly frightening that neighbors now accost each other, families are torn apart by political rhetoric and our country is no longer the beacon of hope it once was. A truly pathetic circle of events. God help us all! — Joy Orlowsky, Northbrook Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.
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