The rule of law still matters
To the Editor:
Out with the old, in with the new: time for reflection, perhaps resolve; certainly time to separate fact from fiction, truth from lies. As Lord Chesterfield believed, “that refuse of fools and cowards.”
It was a rather jarring beginning to 2026, watching innocent citizens murdered on the streets of their own city by masked thugs vaguely resembling police officers, under the ultimate direction of the president of the United States, whose chief duty it is to protect the Constitution and enforce the laws made by Congress, an obligation he is under oath to perform.
It seems those Americans receiving the brunt of the fault for the chaos and turmoil occurring in America are (unjustifiably) blue state governors, mayors and citizens.
Reflecting on the last election, it was not left-leaning voters who supported the president who incited an armed mob to attack our Capitol and kill and injure its defenders with the clear intent to overturn an election he knew he’d lost, thus preventing the peaceful transfer of power. Neither did the left support the president who stole highly classified documents (knowledge of which could cause grave harm to our nation) and then refused to return them. Nor did the left promote the president who pardoned more than 1,500 insurrectionists whose actions J6 led to deaths or injury to scores of defenders of the Capitol, protecting the vice president and Congress.
Nor does the Left champion a president who brags about assaulting women and was, in fact, found civilly liable of sexual abuse and defamation.
Related Items
Taking out tyrants this way can’t be celebrated
What trees will you plant?
This must be the place: ‘The sky was dull, and hypothetical, and fallin’ one cloud at a time’
The president deserves an ‘F’
No, it’s the right, and it’s this president,in collusion with the Supreme Court and Republicans in Congress, who are responsible for chaos, unrest and national turmoil, including the cold-blooded murder of innocent American citizens exercising their constitutional right (perhaps duty) to resist tyranny.
Neither are news organizations obliged to print letters that express opinions put forward as “evidence,” notions that have been proven false time and time again.
A writer may opine the political left is responsible for all the chaos and disorder in America; that’s his right, but printing fabrications dressed up as truth is a venture credible journalists should try to avoid.
Trump’s administration claims to enforce our laws but, as countless writers have observed, what Trump alleges is not law enforcement, it’s authoritarianism wrapped in a flag, shielded by lies and enabled by everyone who supports Trump or remains silent.
Trump continually violates the Constitution and disregards checks and balances, without which transparency and accountability are lost. Exhibiting nothing but contempt for the rule of law, the Trump administration is the political and moral equivalent of a crime family that lies to cover up its malfeasance.
As made unquestionably plain by the English philosopher, John Locke, in 1689: “Where-ever law ends, tyranny begins.” By granting Donald Trump immunity for his many crimes (placing him above the law), the Supreme Court, with the approval of the Republicans in Congress, opened the door to tyranny. Donald Trump had simply to walk through it.
David L. Snell
Franklin
