History repeating….

To the Editor

For a 91-year-old who has lived through depressions, wars, hard times, great times, social progress, incredible advances in science, engineering, sports, integration of all colors and sexes into the wonders of our modern world, this period since the last presidential election is deeply depressing and scary. Why be so worried for the future of descendants of this wondrous age? 

The driving force behind all of our progress since 1776 has been adherence to the constitution and rule of law providing the safeguards and guidance for our states congressmen, judges, and governors to bring the peoples’ needs to the legislative process. 

All that is in tatters as we are now under the rule of a not very smart wannabe king and his minions, few of whom have any experience in leading the agencies appointed to. This is not a new phenomenon. It follows the same script the Nazis and Hitler used in the 30s to take control of people’s lives in quest of white male superiority. In the process, millions of innocents were wantonly murdered. 

In our beloved country, the primary architect of this fiasco is Stephen Miller, Trump’s brains and master planner, an avowed NAZI and also a lead contributor to the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, the Republican adopted platform. To understand further what’s happening to us, just look deeper into the Hitler period. 

The MAGA movement evolved from NAZI rule so the terms NAZI and MAGA are interchangeable. Understanding and living the horrors of NAZI/MAGA rule lies ahead unless we stop it now. It could end today if our NAZI/MAGA supporting senators, representatives, and judges would stand up and do their duty instead of bowing to the wannabe king. 

The horrors of Nazi rule are on full display on our streets as thousands of ill-trained ICE soldiers, similar to Nazi Gestapo, equipped to the hilt with military gear to hunt down, deport or place mostly innocent migrants in privately owned, inhumane detention centers. Some, not nearly enough of this horrific activity, ended in the Twin Cities as thousands of brave citizens braved subzero weather in protest. 

The midterm elections provide opportunity to give power back to the people. The Democratic Party is gaining considerable energy from the newly named Democratic Socialist wing. Primary candidates supporting this philosophy have won or closed gaps across the country. The old guard moderate folks are now realizing the Democratic Party has room for progressive approaches to modern times’ rapid infusion of technologies to raise living standards for everyone.

Since WWII, we have allowed fear of attack from hostile countries to drive much of our government’s use of resources where, in fact, there is no danger to us being attacked and occupied. For the U.S. the NATO alliance is all we need for our defense. They form a protective ring against the world’s only belligerent adversary, Russia. Any attempt to occupy the U.S would be further met with 25-30 million military style weapons and over 400 million others among our civilian population, a formidable force in any kind of ground offensive.  

Iran and Ukraine are perfect examples. We, USA and Russia beat them up pretty bad for a while, they resisted and live on despite more attempts to destroy defense infrastructures.  In Iran’s case, murdering their leadership only to find the successor is worse. 

Again, the only answer is world peace including belligerent nations. Our stupid and dangerous Defense Secretary, Hegseth, even calls the Department of Defense the Department of War.

We must now admit defeat, pay the bills and hopefully learn again that preemptive war is never a solution. So why do we keep doing it?  Warmongers in government, financed by weapons developers, know war is great for the economy…period, the attraction of weak and greedy leadership.

This short period before the midterms will be rife with tactics to upset the normal flow to the ballot box. We, ordinary Democrats, Republicans, Independents and Undecided must join together to push back against any and all attempts to disrupt or even end the election processes.

Lee Purrier,

Park Rapids, Minn.