Letters to the Editor

I very much appreciate Barbara Parsons well-crafted letter on Celebrating Christmas. She points out that, at one time, love and acceptance were winning. It was good to see that happening at the time and I thought we we on the right path and things would continue to progress in a good way for people of all kinds. It has been shocking to see that our nation has started going the other direction trying to strip certain groups of people of their rights and criminalizing and punishing some. I see rapant misinformation giving people permission to believe the worst about people who are from another country or different than us.

For example, the recent Fox “News” report that the Cybertruck used by the New Orleans attacker crossed the U.S. Mexican border two days before the attack. The following is from Politifact (a reliable fact-checking organization): “But within hours of the attack, which killed 14 people and is being investigated as an act of terrorism, President-elect Donald Trump, Republican leaders and social media influencers speculated that Jabbar entered the U.S. illegally. Citing Fox News, social media accounts on Wednesday said Jabbar “crossed the U.S.-Mexico border at the Eagle Pass crossing just two days ago” and that there was “blood on the hands of the Biden administration.”

The truth is the truck did not cross two days before the New Orleans attack, It crossed on November 16 and the driver that crossed the border does not appear to be the shooter. The facts also are that Jabbar is an American citizen who grew up in this country and served 10 years in the Army. Yes, he was inspired by Isis and who knows why. But, most acts of terrorism in America are done by American males.

Unfortunately, the type of misinformation as reported by Fox, fuels making certain groups our enemy. If we cannot agree on what the facts are, how can we ever stop being a divided country?

Thank you Ms. Parsons for reminding us that love and acceptance are the most important way to live. And to do unto other as you would have them do unto you.

Geri DohertySaratoga Wyoming and Tarpon Springs, Florida