Sound Off: September 16, 2025
Sun Herald readers weigh in on local and national topics.
Inflection point
President Trump seems incapable of using any but the most insulting language to refer to those he wants to criticize so he blames the “horrible, radical left” for the assassination of Charlie Kirk. By contrast, he sees no problem with people on his side of the political divide. He described Jan. 6 as a love fest, a day of love. The man is more responsible than anyone for fanning the ugly, hateful, insulting, violent tone of political rhetoric in the last 10 years. He drips with contempt for people who disagree with him. Just know this: there have always been and will always be passionately committed people on the left and the right in the U.S. If we don’t learn to quit demonizing and insulting people with whom we disagree and learn to love the U.S. more than we hate those with whom we disagree, our nation is going to go up in flames of violence or collapse into dysfunction.
Free speech
Free speech is guaranteed by the First Amendment, and that is wonderful. However, if free speech allows hecklers to disrupt and drown out those who are trying to express different ideas and beliefs, that is awful. I remember such disruptions during debates about the Vietnam War. Now conservative and liberal speakers are being disrupted. The First Amendment and democracy will only survive if dissenters are allowed to speak their piece in peace.
Experiement
The United States being made up of individual governments ruled by a central government was a first. Red states vs. blue states is not working. Sparsely populated states like the Dakotas have the same number of senators as California, Texas, and New York. I don’t know the answer, but a dictator is not it. This country is too big.
Our language
In a CBS News interview, a Utah college student was recorded saying, “I was, like, terrified.“ How in the world did we let this error in speaking become acceptable? A human being was assassinated mere feet from this young lady. I don’t know her, but, I am confident that she was more than “like“ terrified. Parents, teachers and peers need to put a stop to this before it gets even worse.
Thanks, Mr. President
President Trump said he was going to clean up Washington D.C., both literally and criminally. My guess is that’s what is happening. Stop complaining and enjoy the safety and beautifcation.
Deflection
President Trump is giving orders left and right, but he has not ordered the release of the Epstein files.
Looking for good
Hopefully something good can come out of Charlie Kirk’s awful assassination. Hopefully, people will pay even more attention to his words on which direction America needs to move.
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