The deeper lessons of the Molly situation
Dear editor:
Thank you for your piece about the two Mollys [“My Side of the Line,” March 21]. You did right by Molly 2 (anti-Trump) in allowing her to submit future letters under a pseudonym, although it is a sad day in Claremont that you had to do so. As for Molly 1 (pro-Trump), I am sorry for what she suffered in falling inadvertent victim to her fellow Trump supporters’ intimidation tactics. I also hope she emerged the wiser from that harrowing experience. I hope she disapproves of getting one’s way by violating the rights of one’s fellow citizens. I hope she disapproves of forcible accession to power.
Of course, she might not have approved of such tactics to begin with; I sincerely hope not. Even so, her experience might give her pause about Trump, a man who applauds his supporters’ intimidation tactics and uses such tactics himself against his perceived enemies. I hope Molly 1 believes that no American patriot can abide tactics that undermine the defining values of our nation. Yes, those values are hard values, demanding much of us. Tolerating people whose opinions differ radically from one’s own and honoring their right to express those opinions are difficult actions. That’s why the land of the free must also be the home of the brave.
Nancy Young 
Claremont

Letter writers not doing themselves any favors
Dear editor:
Fear, anger, mistrust, and feelings of powerlessness — Mick’s MD [“Laughing in the face of absurdity,” March 14] was right! Get away from social media!
If the writers of Courier letters follow this advice, they will be more persuasive from a “serious thinker” angle and not seen as just another propagandist/performer.
It’s not a good look when letters parrot party narratives with the overconfidence of the “news finds me” people that think they can identify fake news.
For sanity’s sake, learning to recognize junior high drama, the lack of necessary context, media hyperbole, and fear mongering (especially from Mick and Peter), you might not yell at the TV so much or pull your hair.
Don’t get sucked into the bias of different news sources. Aim for justified disagreement based on a near-neutral opinion. Remember that the common and very intrusive search engines are masters at providing what they want you to know. If you call names or give emotionally laden analogies, you’ve already lost even though you’re preaching to the choir.
Gaslighting like Merrill Ring (“DEI is ‘racism?’ Gimme a break,” Readers’ Comments, March 21) infers you’re focused on spreading lies for power — or just not capable of understanding that civil rights can’t be furthered by promoting “temporary” (DEI) policies that are the very definition of racism.
Realizing that billionaires influenced Obama, Biden and the Democrat Party and bashing Musk makes you look like an unthinking hypocrite.
People other than liberals know what’s fair. Calling for violence to restrict others’ rights and/or take property/money away from people that “have too much” just identifies you as a brain- washed bully.
Be kind and responsible for your words. If it’s not nice, don’t say it.
Leslie Watkins
Claremont

Cruelty is the point
Dear editor:
As I listened to an interview with one of Trump’s supporters talking about Medicaid cuts, she kept saying, “But I didn’t think he’d go this far.” I’m thinking, what? You didn’t know what he was capable of? We all knew his character when he stiffed his workers on his New York projects.  We all knew his character when he denigrated women, saying he could grab them wherever he wanted; when he discriminated against Blacks at his apartments; when he lied about Obama’s citizenship and then about the “stolen election.”; when he instigated a seditious mob to overturn an election. It’s all about character. Don’t say you didn’t know.
Adam Serwer got it right, commenting on Trump’s program of ripping children from their families at the border, and then callously misplacing hundreds of them without a care: Cruelty is the point.
A 98-year-old woman in West Virginia now wonders how she can handle business with Social Security when she’s housebound and her phone service is now cut. And many of the SSI offices are now shuttered. Cruelty is the point.
A federal worker is told in the middle of the night by email she’s been terminated for performance reasons, yet all her reviews have been “outstanding.” What about the rent? What about the utility bills and healthcare? Cruelty is the point.
Don’t say you didn’t know.
Instead of brandishing a Bible about, the Donald might have actually read it. Torah righteousness and Gospel goodness are about decency. Jesus and the prophets said feed the children, don’t just wave a Bible at them; shelter the poor; provide opportunity; and stop the lying.
America, we can do better. We must.
John C. Forney
Claremont

Resist the ‘rising dark cloud of authoritarianism’
Dear editor:
“… as in absolute governments the King is law, so in free countries the law ought to be King; and there ought to be no other.” (Thomas Paine, “Common Sense,” 1776.)
As in 1776, today’s American crisis is about an authoritarian (would be) king. President Trump fired members of the U.S. Department of Justice who brought indictments against him, although they were based on the facts and the law. He has tried to remove some federal judges who ruled against his executive orders. He is constraining the free press by limiting their participation in the White House and Pentagon press pools. He has usurped the Constitutional power of the House and Senate by gutting funding they approved for federal agencies, and by eliminating the Department of Education, which they established.
The president’s goals are (1) to create a unitary government consisting of an executive branch with absolute power; (2) to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans paid for by a massive reduction of the federal budget programs and services; and (3), to turn the latter over to private enterprise.
The Republican-controlled House and Senate are ceding their Constitutional powers and responsibilities to the president by refusing to oppose his executive orders. Some federal judges are resisting his unconstitutional behavior. We, the people, need to join them by petitioning our members of Congress and Senators and, through street protests and letters to local newspapers, calling public attention to the rising dark cloud of authoritarianism.
“Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered.” (Thomas Paine, “The American Crisis,” 1776.)
David Lull
Claremont

DEI hurts, not helps
Dear editor:
Merrill Ring’s letter [“DEI is ‘racism?’ Gimme a break,” March 21] supports my DEI position.
Ring references “us” versus “them.” Isn’t equality about “we”?
He confuses the words “equity” (outcome) vs. “equality” (opportunity).  They are different. You cannot legislate equity without picking a group of people who lose and are not selected for merit and hard work.
Racism is defined as: “the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another.” DEI policies do just that.
Aren’t we all part of the same race, the human race? Why divide us?
My parents taught me to be race agnostic. I choose to understand a person’s background and individual journey as that’s what makes them unique and fosters understanding of our similarities and differences. Are these not the things we should focus on as opposed to the color of one’s skin?
It’s curious and sad that the worst cities in our country are run by Democrats. Their policies and leadership do the most harm to the very minorities and underserved communities that DEI allegedly supports.
Burning Teslas and referring to those who oppose your ideologies as Nazis are classic symptoms of Trump derangement syndrome. Pretty deranged if you ask most.
Everyone’s imperfect, Trump is no exception. It is his America first policies, business acumen, and defiance of ineffective, liberal leadership and policies that garners my support. BTW, I am also a fanboy of Taylor Sheridan, Harmeet Dhillon, Victor Davis Hanson, Chris Stapleton, Candace Owens and Elon Musk. I mean did you see that rocket booster come back and land! That was some seriously cool futuristic, Iron Man type tech, and should make all of us proud to be American.
It is my wife and children, however, who mostly control my thoughts and deeds.
Hail Elon!
Campbell Wright
Claremont