Letters

In his second inaugural address, Abraham Lincoln famously said: “With malice toward none; with charity for all …” These immortal words of reconciliation and healing are carved into the walls of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Like Lincoln, Joe Biden on Saturday, November 7, in his victory address to the nation, gave a moving, patriotic speech reaching out to everyone to heal our nation. He didn’t say a bad word about anyone … rather, he called upon each of us to summon our better angels, and he said that members of our opposing political parties are not enemies: We are all Americans, in the United States of America.

I firmly believe that Joe Biden is a very decent guy and that he will work hard to bring our country together and heal our deep wounds.

On November 8, George W. Bush called Joe Biden and congratulated him on his victory. He went on to say that while President Trump has the right to pursue legal challenges and recounts, the 2020 race was “fundamentally fair” and “its outcome is clear.”

Mitt Romney called for the nation to “get behind Biden” and says he has seen no evidence of voter fraud.

Most world leaders have also congratulated President-Elect Biden and expressed their desire to work together with the Biden administration.

Sadly, the current elected leaders in the Republican Party are mostly silent. Senators Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz and some other elected Republicans are urging Trump to fight on and not to concede.

Some years ago, the leaders of the Republican Party told Nixon that it was over, and he resigned.

I fervently hope that the current leadership in the Republican Party will finally show some spine and tell President Trump that he lost and that he needs to concede and put our country first, and proceed with an orderly, lawful and peaceful transition of power to the next president of the United States, Joe Biden.

Failing that, I fear that the Trump supporters may resort to armed violence over the next two months. After all, Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, recently suggested the beheading of the current FBI Director and Dr. Anthony Fauci, and that their heads be put on pikes at the two corners of the White House.

Let’s all take a deep breath and, with malice toward none, start a respectful, peaceful march toward healing.

Dick Sheehan

Westhampton Beach