Letters

On Long Island in the 1950s, our large family had one car and went to Jones Beach every summer. My father, aunt and three uncles served in the war, and families with lost sons lived among us. We knew the meaning of bravery and sacrifice, and we voted with the best interests of our country at heart.

Today, we seem to have forgotten what “the common good” means.

I want our country to return to a time of trust in our neighbors, good-paying union jobs, and a belief in doing what’s right for everyone, especially working families, the backbone of our country. Most importantly, I want a representative in Congress who will speak and protect these values.

The World Trade Center was part of my life even before that September morning. My grandfather was an operating engineer for 50 years; his last job was the World Trade Center. Three of my brothers worked on its construction and, with the wages earned, put themselves through college. Today, we know Republican trickle-down economics has proved false, as wages stagnated and billionaires’ fortunes skyrocketed.

We need to build a stronger democracy, with better wages, more affordable housing and communities safe from gun violence for all our families.

John Avlon, a hardworking son of New York and former speechwriter for former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, is a man who speaks my values.

After 9/11, John’s job was to honor and memorialize in writing the lives and selfless bravery of each and every firefighter, police and Port Authority officer. He is a champion of democracy and scholar of its important lessons. From George Washington’s farewell address and its relevance to our democracy today, to Abraham Lincoln’s fight to preserve our Union, to the sacrifices made by so many to keep us free, John has lived and written about it all. He will bring these core values to Washington, D.C.

District 1 needs a representative who lives in the district, is fair, honest and hardworking. Someone to protect our democracy from threats, who will fix things, fight for affordability, reinstate the SALT deduction, and expand the child tax credit. Someone who will defend a woman’s reproductive rights for this generation and the next. Someone who will protect our climate and water and keep our streets, homes and schools safe for our children.

I am tired of Donald Trump’s perpetual dishonesty and chaos, and of Congress members who obstruct, delay and fail to solve our problems, standing silently as Trump denigrates our military heroes, institutions and rule of law.

We cannot return to the 1950s — but we can return to our values and work together for all our families. On June 25, I’ll be voting for John Avlon.

Jackie Hilly

Secretary

Southampton Democratic Committee