Letters to the editor: Insurrection at the Capitol

Idaho’s delegation

The Idaho congressional delegation (Crapo, Risch, Simpson, Fulcher) has sat silent as stones while Trump has persisted in telling lies about the fraudulence of the election. One of the group, Mike Simpson, supported the specious lawsuit brought before the Supreme Court. As a direct result of their sitting on their hands, democracy is today under direct assault, with an insurrection directed by a dangerous and deranged president. They have each issued condemnations of the violence, but their words are hollow after four years of enabling escalating assaults on our republic by the president. Let history record their unwillingness to stand for the republic that they have vowed to uphold.

Jan Schlicht, Boise

Capitol invasion

Today’s invasion of the Capitol by Trump supporters is the culmination of Trump’s multi-year attempt to discredit our democracy. Too many Republicans have supported Trump by remaining silent or, worse, repeating his baseless, anti-democracy allegations. The events today are an assault on the democratic institutions enshrined in our Constitution. Every office holder at every level of every party should immediately and unequivocally denounce today’s acts and the people who committed them. If one is not willing to do that, he or she should resign his or her office because he or she does not believe in our democracy.

Brad Malone, Boise

Evidence of racism

Is there still racism in this country? Well ask yourself this: How much doubt do you have that if the folks that stormed the US Capitol building today had been black that they would have made it across the threshold alive? What about your neighbor? Their neighbor? As despicable as today’s events are, there should be no doubt.

Don A. Essig, Boise

Constitution

To quote the Constitution “Art I, Sect. 4 “The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof.” Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan have violated the supreme law of the land whose officials (not the legislatures) changed the election regulations before, during, and after the voting. This is undisputed.

Our elected officials have taken an oath to uphold our Constitution. Congress has failed to do so. You are “pseudo-Constitutionalists” by failing to demand states adhere to the supreme law of the land. Next you’re going to tell Americans that “precedence” has been established and future fraudulent elections are “OK.” As you have seen from the events of today, Americans know that you have not honored your oath and by failing to do so have disenfranchised over 74 million Americans. We are in the middle of a constitutional crisis, and our Idaho reps are AWOL, except Rep. Russ Fulcher. The events of today lie at your feet! We the people have had enough!

Andi Elliott, Hamer

Trump is dangerous

Today we are seeing the culmination of four years of GOP silence, as Trump totally destroyed any semblance of the country that we all held dear. Their silence has led to our loss of any credibility on the world stage. It has made it OK to hate people that look, pray, think differently than you. Trump has caused a division in this country that we haven’t seen since the civil war. Today it culminated in homegrown terrorists, cheered on by Trump himself, storming our nation’s Capitol. Finally some Republicans are distancing themselves from Trump, including some members of his cabinet. What took so long? I blame all who were complacent to Trump’s calls for violence for the four American deaths today. I blame them for the hate that has run rampant in our country. I blame them for our loss of our country as we know it. I hope that time will heal the wounds that they have caused. For now, get Trump out of the White House! He is dangerous!

Michal Voloshen, Boise

Very dark day

Jan. 6 will go down in history as a very dark day, not unlike how I felt during 9-11! What I felt as this attack on the Capital proceeded was horror and absolute outrage! These were not patriots; they were an uncontrolled mob encouraged by a President of the United States!

Our congressmen who encouraged and signed on to his agenda about election being stolen, which it wasn’t, might just as well been with the mob, because I hold them responsible for the outcome of what I conceived as a possibility! Words and actions have consequences! The people who were part of this outrageous mob need to be held accountable and prosecuted! All who participated in trump’s illogical attack on our Democracy are a disgrace to all who have served our country and shed blood for our country and hold our Democracy dear!

In the words of John Lewis “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something.”

Margaret Anderson, Boise

Crapo

Sen. Mike Crapo could find nothing worthy of objection to the election corruption that was rampant in the state of Pennsylvania. Is he oblivious, or just completely apathetic, or most likely both? Either way, we have two years within which I would certainly hope we could find someone to represent us that is not comfortable and tolerant of election fraud.

David Banker, Eagle

Destructive guest

That an act is symbolic doesn’t necessarily demean or diminish its value.

The destructive guest in my house must be removed, and in a way that assures he won’t be back. My country must state clearly, symbolically if you will, that we don’t condone criminality, mendacity, avarice, violence in our elected officials. We passively, helplessly endure or abide perhaps, but we won’t actively support, abet, or enable any more of this. No more.

America made a mistake. It’s been lied to, manipulated, provoked by unethical, self-serving, and short-sighted individuals whose interests are best served by more of the same. Nothing new about that. Individuals learn from their mistakes. This country can, too.

If the mere symbols emphasized by the belated firing of an egregious, deranged, and inept person are those of decency, democracy, and dignity, bring it. Please. Immediately may not be too late.

Linden Bates, Boise