‘Vermin.’ Camps. Constant threats. Doesn’t Trump’s rhetoric remind you of dictators? | Opinion

Trump’s rhetoric sounds like Hitler’s

“Vermin.” Disagree with him and you are “vermin.” Targeted for elimination.

Merriam Webster: 1) small common harmful or objectionable animals (such as lice or fleas) that are difficult to control. 2) an offensive person. And the GOP went nuts when (Hilary) Clinton described Trump supporters as “deplorable!”

Never mind that those “deplorables” later marched on Charlottesville with tiki torches chanting “Jews will not replace us!” Thousands more broke into the Capitol Building on Jan. 6 to stop the validation of the 2020 election. People died at the hands of these “deplorables.”

Name-calling. Loaded language. Ad hominems. Appeal to fear. Not to mention solicitation to hate and demeaning the “other.”

That’s Trump. No facts. Just fear. Very typical of “dictator verbiage.” Threatening. Bullying. Lacking in facts but heavy on whipping up hate. He states that he will round up undocumented people and put them in “detention camps” until they can be deported. Reinstate his illegal “Muslim ban.”

Separating children from their families will likely return. Arrest his political “vermin” opponents. That’s the kind of crap Putin does.

Is that the way you want the United States to end? 234 years of democracy, ending with the election of a Hitler/Putin-style dictator?

Richard D Reuther, Kennewick

Pasco a beacon of cultural diversity

Pasco Pride is a beacon of cultural diversity and unity in the heart of Eastern Washington, and at the forefront of this movement is José Iñiguez, the executive director of Encanto Arts and co-chair of the Arts and Culture Committee for COPA.

Iñiguez has dedicated his efforts to bridging communities and celebrating the rich tapestry of Latino and European composers. Through his tireless work, he orchestrates symphony concerts across the state of Washington that not only showcase the talents of these composers but also provide a platform for the youth to connect with their cultural heritage through music.

His commitment to inclusivity is truly inspiring. Iñiguez’s influence extends beyond the stage, as he has established an endowment at Columbia Basin College (CBC) to support students pursuing arts education. By fostering a new generation of artists and musicians, he’s strengthening Pasco’s cultural institutions for the future.

Iñiguez believes that nurturing the Latino/a population is crucial, especially given their growing prominence in many cities in Eastern Washington. His work is a testament to the power of art in uniting communities and ensuring a vibrant cultural legacy for generations to come in Pasco.

The Colima-Pasco Collaboration & Friendship Association

A reader’s dream is strange indeed

I had a strange dream: A masked man becomes president. He ends military aid to Ukraine in exchange for Russian dirt on his adversaries. He pardons the insurrectionists in a deal for re-election services. His “Retribution Is Good” T-shirts earn him millions.

The Pledge of Allegiance is updated to, “I pledge allegiance to the President.” Global warming is officially declared a hoax to befriend oil executives. The IRS is eliminated, tax revenues unexpectedly fall. Offsetting tariffs result in $100 flipflops.

Social security is phased out; the wealthy are compensated with tax cuts. American oligarchs win the world’s-biggest-yacht trophy. Indigent seniors and the homeless are relocated to remote campgrounds with soup kitchens. Wounded and captured vets no longer qualify for veterans-only parking.

The benefits of slavery, internment camps and broken treaties are taught to counteract bias against Whites. Reparations are paid to White students denied admission to Harvard. Schools eliminate sex education; pedophiles become de facto teachers.

One hundred new prisons are built to house abortion criminals. Mexican drug labs are instantly converted to parking lots. Mysterious shootings and falls from seventh-story windows occur; surviving shoplifters are deported. The 22nd Amendment is repealed.

The President keeps winning. His mask falls off. Biden? Nope. Putin!

Russ Treat, Richland

Consider these points about pot

Since Pasco is now a place that sells pot, is there any reason Pasco Police gave that report advising to not allow pot sales within city limits?

Why would police tell the city to keep marijuana sales banned? Cannabis use seems to be more prevalent among those who don’t use harder drugs. Police could learn more about pot and suggest ways cities could lower use rates of more dangerous drugs to citizens.

Crime actually lessens when marijuana is available — even if drug abusers rob the pot stores. The government made marijuana illegal, a huge mistake since it never killed anyone who wasn’t allergic to it. A gateway drug is something which increases harder drug abuse, and pot isn’t that at all.

The police and federal government should advise better regulations for cannabis use and safety as cities should lessen ridiculous bans.

Eric Kalia, Richland

Take steps to fight climate change

Citizens around the world are concerned about heat-trapping air pollution (often referred to as greenhouse gases). They are also often uncertain about how they can personally reduce these gasses and help solve climate change.

Fortunately, there is a science-backed list of actions that can guide you. The results of this work were published in the New York Times best-selling book “Drawdown.” And from the more than 90 actions listed in this book, 20 of the highest-impact actions that individuals and households can take could reduce 25% to 30% of future greenhouse gases and help solve climate change.

I’ve been a member of the “clean plate club” for most of my life. Also, based on talks with my doctors, I’ve been cutting back on eating meat, while eating more vegetables (I call myself a “Flexitarian”).

So, imagine my surprise when I read that the top two actions that individuals and households can take to reduce greenhouse gases are reducing food waste and shifting to a more plant-based diet.

I’ve been helping to solve climate change by cleaning my plate and changing my diet and didn’t even know it. Maybe all y’all out there could help solve climate change too.

Roger Ovik, Richland

Why no rally coverage?

I ask the Tri-City Herald why there was no mention in the Nov. 15 paper of the peaceful Rally held in Washington, D.C., Nov. 14 in support of Israel. By some accounts about 300,000 people attended, including bipartisan support from our government. The rally was to raise awareness:

• For the 240 innocent Israeli civilians (babies, small children, elderly) held captive in Gaza since the horrific Hamas terrorist attack of Oct. 7.
• For the 1,200 inhumanely murdered (raped, beheaded, tortured, burned alive) on that same morning.
• To raise awareness of the antisemitism running rampant in our universities and major cities.

Your readers deserve better.

Vicki Locati, Pasco

Thanks for voting

I want to thank everyone who participated in the November general election. We are disappointed with the results, but we respect the decision of the voters.

We will continue to provide the highest level of service within our budget. The next step is for staff to meet with the board of fire commissioners to discuss how we plan to move forward.

We welcome your participation in these discussions and will continue to report back to you.

Fire Chief Mike Harris, Franklin County Fire District 3

Newhouse broke his oath in Trump impeachment

Congressman Dan Newhouse broke faith with the Constitution with his yes vote to impeach President Trump regarding the events of Jan. 6, 2021.

My understanding is that they went directly to a floor debate on an article of impeachment without going through the House Judiciary Committee. In an impeachment situation, the President is the equivalent to a defendant in a criminal trial.

Therefore, he was not given the right to present evidence in his own defense and was not confronted by his accusers within the House Judiciary Committee, which is a vital part of an impeachment proceeding, and Newhouse went along with it.

Remember, if Newhouse doesn’t care about a president’s constitutional rights that means he doesn’t care about your rights either.

It’s time that the Fourth District had a representative who will consider important legislation with the Constitution as his guiding light rather than being swayed by the emotions of the moment!

Vote Jerrod Sessler for Congress on Aug. 6, 2024.

Robert Garrison, Pasco