Letters

As a Democratic voting constituent in Hampton Bays, I am concerned that the Republicans continue to cave to the Trumpian policies that don’t serve either party but rather the billionaires.

My concern is that we are all asleep at the wheel while we surrender our democracy to people posing as small-government, fiscally responsible, tough-on-crime legislators. Soon, there will be a single consolidation of power and no resistance to the Project 2025 agenda. And, once that happens, even people like Congressman Nick LaLota will be powerless, voiceless and inoculated.

Being woke isn’t something to fear but rather something to embrace. Being supportive of DEI is to ensure that our workforce looks like our population, in short. Being generous and accepting of people we don’t particularly align with or understand is not only a teaching in the hallowed Bible but a very simple and important idea that makes the world a better and bigger place to live, instead of bigoted, unwelcoming and unimaginative.

I understand LaLota has been voted in by a certain percentage of people in my community, but I too am a member of that community. I like liking people. I enjoy welcoming all people under the umbrella of life. I feel great shame when we don’t behave as such. Particularly when we are firing people for being woke, and now, at the FBI, firing them for being sympathetic and accepting of our gay citizens. I feel we fail the human experiment that was given unto us to meet and master.

I hold LaLota and the Republican Party responsible for the shutdown. And, in particular, I deeply appreciate the Democrats holding firm on the health care issues that are for all Americans a top-line issue.

Let’s not confuse the public with talking points like “Democrats want to give free health care to illegal immigrants.” We all know they don’t qualify for health care through our system; however, people are never turned away from the emergency room, no matter who they are. What we are fighting for is all Americans and their right to expect affordable and just health care. It’s the least we could do as a wealthy nation.

That we seem to squander these opportunities to walk in the light of great leadership is a failure. That LaLota doesn’t understand that all Americans want affordable health care is a misstep. And when and if we fall from that noble and important investment in our people, that is the day all of this crumbles, one person and one community at a time.

Fight for health care. Fight for science. Fight for the Earth. Fight for decency. Fight for democracy.

Lauren Kinhan

Hampton Bays