Political Blue Gene

October 1, 2020

A Simple Plea to Republicans

Over the course of our lifetimes some people have become Democrats, some Republicans, some something else and some don’t care about any of it.  And this is how it should be, since we are not all the same.  Republicans generally like less government and lower taxes.  Democrats are not as concerned with these goals, as long as a worthwhile purpose (as they see it) is served..

This year we find ourselves in a different situation, at least in the campaign for President.  Donald Trump is neither a Republican nor a Democrat.  He is not Eisenhower, Reagan, or either Bush.  He is not Romney, McCain, Dole or Ford.  He’s not even Nixon.  He is a racist, anti-Semite (see Charlottesville), would-be authoritarian.  For Democrats, the choice is easy.  For Republicans and some others, not so much.  Were roles reversed, I would like to think that I would vote for Democrats as I usually do, but not for President.  And that is what I am asking of my Republican friends.  Vote as you usually do for other offices, but please do not vote to re-elect Donald Trump.  The future of this great experiment called the United States of America depends on it.

I will leave you with the now famous poem first taken from a speech by Martin Niemoller in 1946.  He was a Lutheran pastor and theologian who started out as a Nazi supporter in the early 30’s and ended up in Dachau:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me