Walt letter: Charlottesville
To my Senators Mike Crapo and James E. Risch, and Representative Raúl R. Labrador:
As a member of a military family, our family has fought to protect the freedom and rights of everyone in this country. That includes First Amendment rights. I support the peaceful gathering of any group to protest any issue. When that gathering turns violent as happened in Charlottesville, those First Amendment rights are forfeited. I found the white supremacist and neo-Nazi protest in Charlottesville violent and disgusting. I was also appalled by President Trump’s remarks on Charlottesville.
In World War II, my father went on to Normandy Beach on Day 2. He spent four years of his life fighting for our freedom and defeating Hitler. My mother worked in the shipyards in Portland, Ore., as a “Rosie the Riveter” during dad’s service. Our family, like millions of other families, made great sacrifices during World War ll. For our president to give credence to neo-Nazism and white supremacy is un-American.
It shouldn’t matter which party you belong to. Our country needs to matter more than any political party agenda. President Trump at a minimum needs to be censured.
Jim Walt, Boise
This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 9:55 PM with the headline "Walt letter: Charlottesville."