To the Editor:
Re “Witnesses Detail Trump’s Refusal to Stop Jan. 6 Mob” (front page, July 22):
Along with the entire world, I have watched as the House select committee has proffered evidence in support of the contention that Donald Trump, then the president of the United States, engineered and incited a mob to attack the Capitol in an attempt to stay in power.
Aside from the concerns shared by so many others, my greatest concern was echoed by Representative Liz Cheney in her closing remarks: Is it possible, given the enormous weight of the public evidence against this man, that he will yet be able to declare his candidacy for another run at the presidency?
What does it say to the nation when an average citizen can be picked up and held by the police on the basis of an accusation, but a former president can publicly flout the laws of the country and continue enjoying political influence?
Is there no mechanism in place that will prevent such a gross attack on the basic decency of the country?
If not, there should be.
Scott M. Vrooman Sr.
Castile, N.Y.
To the Editor:
Labeling Donald Trump’s role in carrying out his plan to keep the Senate from counting our votes and certifying the election as a “refusal to stop” the riot underplays the facts.
Mr. Trump’s refusal to stop his crowd from storming the Capitol for the purpose of halting the count was an act in furtherance of the insurrection — that is, proof of his role in the conspiracy.
Because the riot was of his making and intended to stop the count, his behavior was not a refusal or a failure to stop it; rather it was a willful act to allow it to continue. His conduct proves that he was not only the architect of the insurrection but also an actively engaged principal.
Nancy Luque
Washington
To the Editor:
I am a retired teacher and a progressive Democrat. Liz Cheney and I agree on virtually nothing. Even though our politics are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, never have I had more respect for a politician. While almost all Republicans ran from the truth about Donald Trump, Ms. Cheney stood for the rule of law and defense of our democracy and Constitution at her political peril.
If ever there was a person who deserves our country’s highest civilian honor, it is a patriot like Representative Liz Cheney. President Biden, award her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Elissa Jacobs
Demarest, N.J.
To the Editor:
I appreciate that an indictment of a former president by the Justice Department is a monumental step that should not be taken without overwhelming justification, but that justification crossed the Rubicon months ago. It’s time for the attorney general to catch up.
James P. Pehl
Marlborough, Mass.
The Poems of War, to Confront the Horror
To the Editor:
“A Literary Lifeline for the Battlefield,” by Alissa J. Rubin (War Poetry Dispatch, July 20), is a refreshing and valuable contribution to the reflecting on war that all of us ought to be doing.
By choosing some of the most relevant passages of poetry, Ms. Rubin jogs our consciousness; too often we are numb to what war actually is and does.
From the safety of our homes, we can reduce any discomfort about the dozens of wars that have been swirling around the globe for decades to moments of unease while seeing death and destruction on our television screens.
Alissa Rubin gives us powerful poetry that draws us closer to horrors that we must confront if we are to demand an end to them.
Jerome Donnelly
Winter Park, Fla.
The writer is a retired professor of English.
To the Editor:
Casting an acutely appreciative eye on life, on death, Alissa J. Rubin’s piece on battlefield poetry could well be framed and hung prominently in generals’ war rooms, any high school gym, the entrance hall of the American Library Association, and recruiting stations and cemeteries everywhere.
Alex Cruden
Grosse Pointe, Mich.
To the Editor:
What a pleasure to read Alissa J. Rubin’s essay! It shows how poetry can lift a life through the most difficult endeavors. It made my day sparkle with new hope that the world can be a better place and that people can rise above the woes in the world today. Thank you for printing this.
Paula Goldman
Shorewood, Wis.
The writer is a poet.
Don’t Sink Child Care Funding
To the Editor:
Re “Biden Sees Plans Shrink to Become a Health Bill,” by Margot Sanger-Katz (The Upshot, July 17):
As the Titanic began to sink, members of the crew shouted, “Women and children first!” They evacuated the ship’s most vulnerable passengers safely, including a 2-month-old baby.
When hopes for a trillion-dollar reconciliation bill quietly slipped from view last week, Democratic leaders appeared willing to throw women and children overboard. Ignoring the desperate need for stable child care funding would be nothing short of devastating, particularly for Black and brown families.
The latest data shows that women are facing an economic crisis of Titanic proportions. The pandemic has increased joblessness and personal debt among women with low incomes and women of color at all income levels. The family child care providers in All Our Kin’s network wonder why the federal government has abandoned them, and how much longer their businesses can survive. Mothers would like to return to work but can’t afford child care.
Democrats’ silence about leaving child care out of the Senate reconciliation bill speaks louder than words. It’s time for our elected officials to place women and children first.
Christie Balka
Philadelphia
The writer is vice president for policy at All Our Kin, which trains family child care providers.
Pregnant at 10
To the Editor:
If the 10-year-old daughter of an anti-abortion person had been raped and was pregnant, would the parent choose to maintain their “no abortion no matter what” stance or prioritize the mental and physical well-being of their daughter?
Arden Rauch
Schenectady, N.Y.
To the Editor:
We dropped the voting age to 18 in part because teenagers were dying in Vietnam — and could not vote. Maybe it’s time we dropped it to 10.
Joe McGloin
Sheridan, Colo.
Virus? What Virus?
To the Editor:
Re “Muted Warnings as Virus Surges Across Country” (front page, July 19):
Americans are big shruggers, tut-tutting any unpleasantness. Covid and masking? Shrug. Climate weirding and gas-guzzling S.U.V.s and 7,000-pound pickup trucks? Pipe down, pal. We’re all sullen adolescents now.
Stephen D. Craig
Charlotte, N.C.
