Letters

“I am in Vietnam — who will console me …”

These words, taken from the letter of a sorrowing soldier, captured the living horror of the destruction of the Vietnamese people, as well as the destruction of the American soldiers consigned to kill them. They were immortalized in a stark, graphic poster, created by the Catholic nun Sister Corita Kent, and soon seen everywhere — becoming a banner of conscience and force that powered the anti-war movement.

Now: We are in America, and who can console us?

A swath of the population has handed to a malicious goon the reins of the most powerful country in the world, to do with as he will. And, treasonous sycophant that he is, he immediately betrayed his, and our, country by aligning himself with Vladimir Putin, murderous enemy of the free world.

He followed this by simultaneously demoralizing and weakening the military, and closing by decree the protections that guard against Putin’s invasion of our elections and incursions to create chaos.

Who can console us?

Last Friday, we were forced to watch Donald Trump’s ignorant barking of Putin’s talking points at President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, echoed by “hill-bully” henchman J.D. Vance. We had to watch Trump besmirch his office, the White House, the people of this country and the official occasion by aggressively hammering the only man opposing Putin. A man with more dignity, courage, humility and tragedy — who grew in office and fights with strength and determination for his country — than are dreamt of in Trump’s “philosophy.”

Zelenskyy’s character was sharply illuminated in contrast to the gangster stance pushed by Trump and his licking lapdog Vance. How more shameful than watching Zelenskyy attempting to tell Trump that they were not involved “in a card game” but matters of life and death?

Who can console us? For allowing the slime to build up around us, for not holding money and power to account for the troubles brewing in the country produced by their unbounded greed, which snared hard-pressed people into believing they needed a savior. And that savior was a charlatan issuing incoherent pronouncements from his gold throne on Fifth Avenue?

For allowing TV-generated “reality” to replace reality. For reducing facts, observation, education, science, dedicated work and experience to propaganda and constructed truth(s). For streaming instead of watching, thinking and analyzing the day-to-day descent of the country. For electing an opportunistic liar and empty creature spawned by television.

In truth, there is no consolation for us, nor will there be, until these rabid, Putin-ized political dogs are caught, muzzled and euthanized into oblivion.

Until such time, we burden President Zelenskyy with our shame, and must find a way to beg forgiveness for our collective guilt.

Frances Genovese

Southampton