Spiraling out of control
I believe 2020 had more challenges for us as individuals and as a country than any other year in history. We lost a lot of well-known people for reasons ranging from accidents to virus side effects. We almost ended up in a war in the Middle East. We witnessed the burning of Australia and horrible wildfires in California and Colorado. We discovered murder hornets in our country. We witnessed the separation of Prince Harry and his wife from the royal family. And then there was the coronavirus. This, in itself, caused a severe disruptive change in our everyday life. We had to adjust to wearing masks and social distancing as well as more aggressive hand washing and sanitizing. Some people’s homes are probably cleaner than ever. Our kids got pulled out of school to do online learning and, if they didn’t have access to the internet, received packages of learning information. Businesses closed yet hospitals were overrun. It was nearly impossible to get a doctor’s appointment. Elective surgeries were canceled. No longer could you go to a restaurant and grab a cup of coffee with a friend. Millions of jobs were lost and people were going hungry with many surviving on the contribution of food banks. I won’t even mention the chaos over the supposedly fraudulent election. There was no proof, and Donald Trump put the American people through an emotional roller-coaster. Some people were finding it hard to be supportive when it seemed like the man was slowly unraveling.
Enter 2021. After 2020, people couldn’t wait for the new year to come. Most hoped for a return to normalcy. Well, we certainly got something new. What is wrong with the people in this country? I was appalled at what was on the television on Jan. 6 regarding the invasion and unlawful entry in to the U.S. Capitol. I don’t understand why these people were not immediately disbursed. I am sure this event, inspired by the president, resulted in property damage as well as injuries and death. The job of Congress that day should have been a simple straightforward process. I am ashamed at the display that was put on and embarrassed how the world saw us. I can only imagine how many foreign leaders are laughing at us.
The position of the president is stressful, but he must act with dignity. Trump is a narcissist. The fact of the matter is he lost the election in November and refuses to accept that. In every presidential election, someone loses. But no other loser has done and acted the way Trump has. No matter what he has done since the election, he manages to twist it back to himself, insisting he has not lost and was not going to let them take the White House from him. I worry for his level of mental health. I ask you, is it safe for this man to stay in office knowing he is spiraling out of control? Is it prudent for him to have access to nuclear weapons? He is done unmentionable things, and I can’t help but wonder if we should invoke the 25th Amendment and remove him from office.
Kathy Bartolotta
Tower Hill Two