Letters

Instead of celebrating our independence from tyranny and the sacrifices that a common people endured to secure freedom for a new nation, this newspaper gaslights the January 6 riot as if it could have possibly changed our historical history [“What To Celebrate,” Editorial, July 1]. While, at the same time, ignoring the riots and mayhem throughout out urban landscape during 2020.

Shame on you for ignoring the historic significance of a new nation born on the promise of freedom and opportunity. Instead of pointing out that by the time our Constitution was ratified in 1789, nine states had already abolished slavery, it presents a false premise that our voting rights are being restricted because of GOP voting laws. Crazy to think that having a valid ID is restrictive, but, hey, I need to ID myself to take out a library book.

Our cities are in total chaos, with shootings and homicides near record highs. Urban schools that have been closed for nearly two years have created more disparity in the continued educational gap between Blacks and whites, while leading to further disparities of opportunity — and yet this newspaper finds the January 6 insurrection pivotal in our meaning as a society.

Stop the nonsense. It wasn’t an insurrection, as it had no weapons to gain control or take any power. It involved a few thousand Halloween-dressed Trump supporters who had lost their minds. I know it’s hard to accept, as we expect the adults to behave better, unlike the left, who looted and burned courthouses, police precincts and various stores throughout the country all year long — but somehow January 6 is more significant.

The significance is that it creates a false narrative that the rest of the year didn’t matter. But the reality is that 74 million people feel differently.

God bless America. May we share in our differences but appreciate the vision of our forefathers who created a nation that may not be perfect but is a beacon to the world and a example that most can’t duplicate.

Enough, already, about our differences; we need more about our commonality and what makes us a great nation, from our spirit of entrepreneurship to our pursuit of the individual without consideration of religion, color or sex.

Thomas M. Jones

Sag Harbor