Integrity

I was offended that the Herald questioned Allison Cartwright’s integrity for having had issues with debt well over a decade ago when our entire country was also facing financial collapse. I commend Ms. Cartwright for appearing to work through her financial difficulties, build back her credit and pull herself up by her bootstraps. I question the integrity of the motivation behind printing such a story days before an election and think voters will see through the smoke and mirrors.

Katie Forde

West Roxbury

Losing rights

While attending a recent School Committee meeting, the discussion was around how long someone should be allowed to speak during the public participation portion of the meeting. This made me immediately begin to think about a person’s rights. Interestingly, the people I know who I would describe as liberal have concerns about their, and others’, rights if Donald Trump is elected president. They have concerns about a woman’s right to make decisions about her body, about LGBTQIA+ people having the right to live without discrimination or fear, and believe a person’s right to vote could be in jeopardy. The conservatives I know are concerned that if Kamala Harris is elected president, it represents a threat to a person’s right to bear arms, and will lead to a loss of freedom of speech in an Orwellian system where the government defines what can and cannot be said.

It occurred to me that people on the far left and far right share one very American trait. They both are primarily motivated by the fear of losing their rights. Despite the differences in specifics, it is clear that deeply rooted in the psyche of Americans is a passionate dedication to civil rights and liberties. I’ve watched YouTube videos of Russians in Moscow who refuse to answer questions about their war. Seeing people who have surrendered their basic civil liberty so passively draws a stark contrast to America. The fact is, that the belief in freedom of speech and civil rights is at the core of what makes our country great. If you stop for a second, and look past the noise, it is clear that those two ideals are alive and well in the soul of Americans. The truths upon which our Republic is built, are still burning bright.

James Dillon

Lynnfield

Israel-Hamas war

The Biden-Harris government and the Harris-Walz presidential ticket have enormous leverage against ally Israel and little against Hamas save American arms shipments to Israel to help prosecute the most recent war in Gaza. Well, sir, you have to do something to mollify your own party’s anti-Israel wing and to show voters you hear their cries for progress in Gaza. President Biden’s bully pulpit is loud against Israel and almost silent on Hamas. I have never been a single issue voter, but this combination of deadly Democratic malfeasance has captured my attention.

Paul Bloustein

Cincinnati, Ohio