Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Sue and Lyle Otte

To the Editor:

There is nothing to celebrate about our current administration’s first 100 days in office. Indeed, there is little more than shame, fear, and distrust that many Americans are feeling.

The World, too, is wondering what is happening to us. A country that was the destination of many seeking freedom, education, and a welcoming hand is now leaving the world behind.

Instead of a careful reorganization of the bureaucracy of government, we have witnessed a “bull in the china shop” approach, a random destruction of anything that personally offends the president or his DOGE collaborator.

Perhaps you are upset with all the money the United States contributes abroad to assist fighting poverty, disease, and the suffering that climate refugees face. Maybe you think other nations should do more. But did you expect that the president would betray our Allies of more than a century, would welcome Russia at the White House while humiliating Ukraine, and would endanger our national security on a daily basis?

If you are more interested in things at home, maybe you should be worried about the unqualified and incompetent people that have been placed in positions of power in our government. With daily cuts to the programs that provide assistance to our young people, our elderly, our Veterans, and those with great need, we are beginning to see the damage.

The Trump playbook calls for all this. The goal is to throw so much at us that the chaos will confuse and distract us. Take away our right to due process, spew hate for anyone who challenges them, threaten anyone who speaks out to defend democracy - this is intentional.

But we will not play this game. We will not allow fear and hate to guide our decisions. We will resist this race to authoritarianism.

As we each find our own way to be involved, we must work together to defend democracy before it is too late.

If you love this country, stand up and be counted!

Sue and Lyle Otte
Decorah