I was raised to believe in American democracy, free and fair elections, and cherish freedom and oppose vicious authoritarian regimes abroad. My worst fears were nearly realized on Jan. 6, not
by foreign adversaries, but by homegrown right-wing extremists, when an insurrectionist mob attacked the U.S. Capitol, incited to violence by a sitting president and Republicans who amplified
election fraud lies and conspiracy theories. Trump was impeached for his actions and yet acquitted by all but seven Republican senators. Those courageous senators have been censured by their state’s Republican committees who, despite all that has happened, still proclaim Trump as their party leader and support a second presidential run.
What should be of grave concern to Americans is the political direction of our country moving to the far right, toward anti-democracy, one-party authoritarianism. The rise of Donald Trump and the insurrection against a free and fair election is the culmination of 30 years of biased right-wing newscasts and the virulent rhetoric of right-wing talk show hosts and commentators who, for hours a day, weaponize the First Amendment by saturating the minds of millions of Americans with negativity, vitriol, misrepresentations, lies, and propaganda until some actually believe
Democrats, including Joe Biden, are the “enemy,” “anti-freedom,” and “radical leftists.” Ironically, it’s the Republican Party that has been radicalized as more extremists join the fold — QAnon true believers, white supremacists, and violent militia members who wrap themselves in the flag while violating everything for which it stands.
The question remains: do we want right-wing government in America, which would put our nation in some historically bad company with the likes of Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Augosto
Pinochet’s Chile, and the Argentinian military dictatorship? Or do we want true liberal democracy like the healthy, thriving democracies of Canada, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Western Europe?
Carl Esbjornson
Bozeman
Bozeman Daily Chronicle Letter to the Editor 2/27/21