We’re not in this together

The United States of America. Strong. Powerful. Proud. Never invaded. An economic engine fueled by capitalism and envied by many around he world. Why did the Soviet Union collapse? We didn’t even have to fire a shot. We just had to out spend them. Boom. The Great Bear was dead.

That was then. Today’s question is: If I am a foreign country and a people who hate America, Americans, and everything it stands for, how can we hurt the great Satan? Hit them where it hurts? I think they have discovered our Achilles heel as we react to the pandemic.

And now, a stressed-out population only needed a spark to release all that pent-up energy. Riots. Some states activated National Guard units. Has our president attempted to calm his citizens? Of course not. He, apparently forgot or never heard of Kent State.

It has been said over the centuries, “This democracy is an experiment; a work in progress.” It seems to me it’s not working. Our government in Washington is not functioning. Oh sure. At the beginning of this nightmare they gave us a few hundred dollars to calm us down. To prevent a panic. But this is a presidential election year. Politics, as always, trumps (no pun) the people’s need. We need a president who respects all of his citizens. A president who thinks before he speaks.

United we stand. Divided we fall. Think about that.

Jim Bickel

Spokane