My response to a local letter to the editor in DE

[woodsprite]

Last edited Mon Feb 5, 2018, 10:34 AM - Edit history (1)

I’ll post a link to the letter if I can find it, but the gist was that the Democrats should have stood and applauded at the SOTU in honor of the office of President. It pissed me off, so here’s what I wrote in response. Pick it apart please. If I actually do send it, I want it to be as good as I can get.
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I, for one, am proud of my Democratic representatives in Congress who did not stand at the State of the Union. Standing to “show respect to the office” would only normalize and show support for what this cabal and the current GOP agenda have wrought over the last year. Why stand when most of the speech was lies? They were standing in The People’s House spouting lies to all of America! They represent the Kremlin, the KKK, white supremecists, not to mention, the greediest of the 1%.

Would you stand to honor David Duke? Stalin? Hitler? Would you stand for someone who has no respect for our country’s history, The Constitution, our founding fathers, or the laws of the United States of America? Would you stand for people who have no respect for our veterans or people who have died fighting for our rights and freedoms? I wouldn’t, and I don’t expect my elected representatives to do so either.

When the resident of the White House is no longer a product of Russian electioneering, when he or she stands for all the people of our country - regardless of race, creed, country of origin, gender, income level, and sexual orientation. Only then should we stand in honor once again.

[Rhiannon12866]

1. I think this is very well done!

[jaxind]

2. Excellent!

Excellent! I would also add, "Just curious - did you feel the same way when the republicans did not stand for President Obama? Oh, and just wondering...how did you feel when a member of Congress yelled, "You lie!" to President Obama?"

[burnbaby]

16. he said you lie

"You lie!" shouted the South Carolina Republican. This was in response to President Barack Obama's statements on illegal immigrants.

"There are also those who claim that our reform effort will insure illegal immigrants," Obama said. "This, too, is false — the reforms I’m proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally."

So who's right here? Wilson or Obama?

[Scarsdale]

3. Nobody yelled out

"Liar" as a gop member did when President Obama gave one State of the Union speech. If they had, you would not have heard any of tRump's speech, since all he does is lie. The entire gop is like a bad joke anymore. Their "leader" is an ignorant, uncouth, low life moron. He can not even pretend to have any CLASS. The fact that the gop tries to normalize this ass is a disgrace to the entire country. People worldwide see him as a damn fool. Many of the gop are planning on taking the (Russian) money and running with it. Now after all the damage has been done, their spoils are going to keep them in luxury. That is, until the entire truth is exposed.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Nice response

Love when DUers get letters published

[Vinca]

5. The last 2 lines and the use of "they" are a little confusing to me.

Maybe you should say "those who stood in the People's House were spouting lies to America," "Those who stood represented the Kremlin, KKK, etc." Other than that it's a great letter and you should send it.

[monmouth4]

6. Don't change a word, it's perfect!

[barbtries]

7. good letter, please send it

the correct spelling is "supremacist."
i worry about a country where school shootings occur on almost a daily basis but people are upset over the failure to worship an infantile demagogue who made his way into office on the back of a hostile foreign power while appealing only to our ugliest emotions.

[woodsprite]

9. Thanks for that fix!

I wrote it on my cell phone, in the dark, when I couldn't get back to sleep this morning. I thought if I waited to put the words down, I'd forget how I said them.

[barbtries]

12. very well done

i would have had a bunch of gobbledy gook.

[woodsprite]

8. This is the letter it's in response to.

Just a note, I've been friends with the guy for 41 years. He's repub, his wife is a Dem, and boy did she take some comments yesterday at church.
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No matter what one thinks of President Trump — and at times I will agree that his words have been divisive — the behavior of most Democrats, including Delaware's elected officials, during the State of the Union speech was at best disrespectful, and at worse disgraceful.

To not stand and acknowledge the heroic return to health and work by Rep. Scalise or to applaud good economic news, regardless of who you think is responsible, is insensitive. Is not a strengthening economy, job growth, and higher wages good news for all, regardless of political party?

And how could not one applaud when a 12-year-old young man is recognized for putting flags on soldiers' graves on Veterans Day?

There may be a time and place for the Democrats' so-called resistance, but this was not it. On this particular occasion, they were not the adult in the room. I know that I, and I think many others, will remember this disrespectful, boring and really unnecessary behavior when entering voting booths in subsequent elections, especially with regard to state and local political races.

[SergeStorms]

11. The hypocrisy is palpable.

you should remind this jackass how President Obama was treated during his first SOTU speech. Republicans were beside themselves when an 'uppity Black man' dared to wrest the reins of power from the lily-white GOP. Now those bastards were "the adults in the room"? I'd never talk to the S.O.B. again if I were you ( after I gave him a piece of my mind, of course. )

[TNNurse]

14. Yes, was that person outraged and write something

about that jerk who shouted "you lie" to Obama? Was there action to throw his ass out of the House?

I think since they ignored that, they gave permission to make a personal statement to the speech. I am sorry no one threw shoes or rotten vegetables.

[woodsprite]

20. His wife said he didn't agree with that either, nor did he write a letter about it.

That, and the overabundance of anti-democratic sentiment that fills our paper in comments, opinions, etc. is why I wanted to write the letter. Don't know if it will get printed, but his is front and center the minute you load DelawareOnline's Opinion/Letters page. I'll see him on Tuesday, and again on Saturday morning. I've known him since I've been 13yrs old. He really is a nice guy, been through some really rough times. I just can't wrap my head around his thinking. Actually, maybe it's an upbringing thing. His family is originally from West Virginia.

Yeah, the Dems could have acknowledge the boy, and the other service member without acknowledging the President. But, let's face it. The people that are usually invited to the State of the Union, at least by the GOP, tend to be political props and are being used either to set the Dems up or to put lipstick on the pig.

[gratuitous]

25. It's just so strange

When Trump says something that most people find objectionable, his supporters cheer him enthusiastically for "saying what we're all thinking," and denigrating anyone who, well, objects. But when Democratic elected officials act in a way that pleases their supporters, the Trumpistas whine and moan about "disrespect" and "disgraceful."

If the original letter write had any shame, I'd say his letter is shameful.

[Demsrule86]

10. That is a great letter...hats off.

[calimary]

13. Superb! SO good that you did this, woodsprite!

Outstanding response and defense of the Dems who stayed seated. It NEEDED to be said. We must ALWAYS always respond to wrongheaded crap. Stuff like that should NEVER be left to stand, unrebutted.

Look at it this way: would the author of that offending letter have been critical of the CONS staying seated when a Democratic President (like Prestident Obama) had delivered the address? Very likely not.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

15. Great letter, send it! Nt

[pazzyanne]

17. You speak for me!

Thank you for a very clear letter of support for our Democratic representatives in Congress. I would not have said it better myself.

[llmart]

19. Terrific letter.

Please send it on behalf of all of us on DU. I was proud that my two Democratic Senators sat.

[ProfessorPlum]

21. was this sent to the News Journal?

[woodsprite]

22. Yes. Through DelawareOnline. I haven't heard anything yet. n/t

[ProfessorPlum]

23. be careful with them

I had many LTTE posted there, but they reserve the right to "edit", sometimes really rewriting and changing the meaning of what I submitted. And they never gave me final approval for what was being posted in my name.

[woodsprite]

24. We call them the "snooze journal".

They did state on their form that they reserve the right to edit, etc. I know they barely edited the letter I was responding to.

[ProfessorPlum]

27. it makes sense that they want to shorten letters that are too long, fix obvious spelling errors, etc

but they should at least shoot their revisions back to the author for final approval. It's frustrating to pass letters through their meat grinder.

[Beartracks]

26. Before "only then" at the very end, use a dash, not a period.

That dash will mark the end of the set-off phrase that begins with "regardless of race." (Obviously, you would remove the period, too.). Once you combine those last 2 sentences in such a manner, it's good to go!

Well done!

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[woodsprite]

28. They printed it, AS WRITTEN! n/t