In the McCormick Messenger Chairman Alonzo Harrison
comments on the current situation
I rarely commit my thoughts, especially about national events, in a letter to the editor, but the events of last week have motivated me to write and send this.
I had a hard time believing my eyes as I watched the terrorist attack on our nation’s capitol. Up to last week, a president encouraging damage to and robbing the capitol and killing a policeman had been something reserved for a Hollywood movie, not real life.
Using social media, this mob planned and executed very well, and might have enlisted cooperation from within. President Trump used Twitter to brain-wash these paranoid believers to invade this near-sacred home of our democracy.
The results of the last election, including those in our neighbor, Georgia, offer hope for the future, but the president still has a week to further damage America. Facebook, Twitter and Parler have been taken out of his hands, but other social media remains a means for him to plan other attacks, especially during the inauguration of a team that offers hope.
Our democracy is too precious to be threatened by more lies from a man who has lied and cheated his entire life. Americans everywhere should check the sources of what they read on their I-phones and computers and get confirmation from established, objective and reliable news sources.
We’re ending the pretending, now let’s begin mending.
Alonzo Harrison
Chair, McCormick County Democratic Party
I had a hard time believing my eyes as I watched the terrorist attack on our nation’s capitol. Up to last week, a president encouraging damage to and robbing the capitol and killing a policeman had been something reserved for a Hollywood movie, not real life.
Using social media, this mob planned and executed very well, and might have enlisted cooperation from within. President Trump used Twitter to brain-wash these paranoid believers to invade this near-sacred home of our democracy.
The results of the last election, including those in our neighbor, Georgia, offer hope for the future, but the president still has a week to further damage America. Facebook, Twitter and Parler have been taken out of his hands, but other social media remains a means for him to plan other attacks, especially during the inauguration of a team that offers hope.
Our democracy is too precious to be threatened by more lies from a man who has lied and cheated his entire life. Americans everywhere should check the sources of what they read on their I-phones and computers and get confirmation from established, objective and reliable news sources.
We’re ending the pretending, now let’s begin mending.
Alonzo Harrison
Chair, McCormick County Democratic Party
Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Advice:
. . . Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington. She was speaking with Jeffrey Rosen, who had recently published “Conversations with RBG,” drawn from their 20-year friendship. Looking back at a society transformed during her long life, Ginsburg told the audience, “It’s an exhilarating change; it’s a permanent change. We will never go back to the days when women are not seen in the decision-making arena.” And she recalled advice her mother had given her more than 70 years ago: “Don’t lose time on useless emotions like anger, resentment, remorse, envy. Those will just sap time, and they won’t get you any place.” Wise words to keep in mind these days. ron.charles@washpost.com.
A Clear and Present Danger
Have Some of Us Lost Our Ability To Think Critically?
by Marion Farina
President Putin of Russia is an expert at destabilizing countries. He has been ac-tively trying to destabilize Ukraine and other former Soviet countries, but it is crystal clear to me that he has also been working on destabilizing the United States by using psychology, the internet and the 45th President of the United States. He is exploiting our vulnerabilities, our historical weaknesses, and our differences of opinion.
Putin calculated long ago that with the dawn of the cyber age, the best way to create destabilization in a country is through the internet. He calculated that he could wage covert espionage over the web, essentially creating a cyber Cold War. The Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA) was created for just that purpose. That agency is busy 24/7 with its most talented IT operatives broadcasting lies dreamed up by their propaganda specialists, with the intent to confuse us.
What to look for in a reliable news source:
1. no underlying agenda
2. before information is published, it is researched and checked with multiple sources (what’s known as vetting.)
Trump constantly berates the press who actually vet information and fact check his lies. That is right out of Putin’s playbook: label the real news “fake news” and the made up stuff, the truth.
Information coming from social media is mostly unvetted. A lot of the Russian IRA propaganda winds up on social media. They or anyone with their own agenda, can just make it up. As long as there are people who are willing to believe it and pass it on, then what you wind up with is made up stories/based on nothing but someone’s imagi-nation. That’s how conspiracy theories, for example, are born and spread.
It is chilling to me how many individuals in this country seem to accept propa-ganda at face value and pass it on as fact, without researching the source and doing their own critical thinking. Trump often does this without caring about the source of the information, despite having access to the best intelligence resources in the world.
When attempting to destabilize a democracy, Russia’s method is to create chaos wherever possible. That is one reason why they find Trump so useful. He is constantly creating chaos. He muddies the waters so people get confused as to what is fact and what is not. He even delighted recently in creating chaos in the first presi-dential debate, yelling out of order, and talking over Biden. That is not a sign of strength. It is just plain rude and being a bully, which is actually a sign of low esteem and weakness. His brutish behavior is an insult to the Office of the Presidency.
Putin is currently doubling down on infiltrating the web to get Trump re-elected, because he has much more that he wants to accomplish and he’s confident Trump will help him do it. Trump is partial to Putin because 1. he admires his management style (complete power) and 2. he has been compromised. He owes Russia a lot of money. Eric Trump in 2014 actually said "Well, we don't rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.” Russian banks are controlled by their govern-ment, so in reality, the Russian government loaned Trump the money. US banks will no longer loan Trump money because six of his privately owned businesses went bank-rupt. So if he is rated by US banks as a bad risk, it begs the question, “Why would Russia be willing to loan him money?” Could this be why Trump has refused to reveal his tax returns, to the point of taking it to the Supreme Court to avoid doing so?
While we are all busy yelling at each other, Putin is smiling, because at the mo-ment he has us right where he wants us; divided and confused.
Let us not succumb to the chaos.
Let us unite for the sake of our democracy.
Joe Biden has a positive vision for America. He is everything Trump is not: an experienced leader and statesman, honest, compassionate, stable, and intelligent. If elected, I believe he will do everything in his power to unite this country and help us heal, physically and mentally. He comes from working class roots and understands what the average person goes through to survive. He will preserve Social Security, not attempt to dismantle it, as Trump is doing with the elimination of the payroll tax deduc-tion which funds Social Security. Biden would preserve the ACA and then improve upon it. Trump just wants to get rid of it with nothing to replace it - in the middle of a pandemic. So millions would lose their insurance and anyone with a pre-existing condi-tion would no longer be insured. Just think - people who have or had Covid-19 would be classified as having a pre-existing condition.
Biden cares about all Americans and would work to help us find common ground. Biden respects the Office of the Presidency. He respects our democratic norms and the rule of law.
It’s obvious to me that Trump doesn’t love our country and he doesn’t care about any of us. He does not respect the rule of law, but he is quick to institute martial law. All he cares about is what’s in it for him, and winning at all costs. If he gets re-elected and we also wind up with an enabling Republican Senate, I believe our democratic form of government will not be able to withstand his self-interest and in-competence.
We, the voters, are the only part of our democracy that is left to preserve it. Please research your decision based on vetted information. Don’t rely on any source that has their own agenda. Don’t rely on information you find on social media. Think your decision through. I hope it will be clear to you that Joe Biden is the right choice for President. Even if his party isn’t the party you normally vote for — consider voting for country over party. Many registered Republicans are speaking out and voting for Biden, because they see Trump for what he is — a clear and present danger to our democracy.
Marion Farina
Putin calculated long ago that with the dawn of the cyber age, the best way to create destabilization in a country is through the internet. He calculated that he could wage covert espionage over the web, essentially creating a cyber Cold War. The Russian Internet Research Agency (IRA) was created for just that purpose. That agency is busy 24/7 with its most talented IT operatives broadcasting lies dreamed up by their propaganda specialists, with the intent to confuse us.
What to look for in a reliable news source:
1. no underlying agenda
2. before information is published, it is researched and checked with multiple sources (what’s known as vetting.)
Trump constantly berates the press who actually vet information and fact check his lies. That is right out of Putin’s playbook: label the real news “fake news” and the made up stuff, the truth.
Information coming from social media is mostly unvetted. A lot of the Russian IRA propaganda winds up on social media. They or anyone with their own agenda, can just make it up. As long as there are people who are willing to believe it and pass it on, then what you wind up with is made up stories/based on nothing but someone’s imagi-nation. That’s how conspiracy theories, for example, are born and spread.
It is chilling to me how many individuals in this country seem to accept propa-ganda at face value and pass it on as fact, without researching the source and doing their own critical thinking. Trump often does this without caring about the source of the information, despite having access to the best intelligence resources in the world.
When attempting to destabilize a democracy, Russia’s method is to create chaos wherever possible. That is one reason why they find Trump so useful. He is constantly creating chaos. He muddies the waters so people get confused as to what is fact and what is not. He even delighted recently in creating chaos in the first presi-dential debate, yelling out of order, and talking over Biden. That is not a sign of strength. It is just plain rude and being a bully, which is actually a sign of low esteem and weakness. His brutish behavior is an insult to the Office of the Presidency.
Putin is currently doubling down on infiltrating the web to get Trump re-elected, because he has much more that he wants to accomplish and he’s confident Trump will help him do it. Trump is partial to Putin because 1. he admires his management style (complete power) and 2. he has been compromised. He owes Russia a lot of money. Eric Trump in 2014 actually said "Well, we don't rely on American banks. We have all the funding we need out of Russia.” Russian banks are controlled by their govern-ment, so in reality, the Russian government loaned Trump the money. US banks will no longer loan Trump money because six of his privately owned businesses went bank-rupt. So if he is rated by US banks as a bad risk, it begs the question, “Why would Russia be willing to loan him money?” Could this be why Trump has refused to reveal his tax returns, to the point of taking it to the Supreme Court to avoid doing so?
While we are all busy yelling at each other, Putin is smiling, because at the mo-ment he has us right where he wants us; divided and confused.
Let us not succumb to the chaos.
Let us unite for the sake of our democracy.
Joe Biden has a positive vision for America. He is everything Trump is not: an experienced leader and statesman, honest, compassionate, stable, and intelligent. If elected, I believe he will do everything in his power to unite this country and help us heal, physically and mentally. He comes from working class roots and understands what the average person goes through to survive. He will preserve Social Security, not attempt to dismantle it, as Trump is doing with the elimination of the payroll tax deduc-tion which funds Social Security. Biden would preserve the ACA and then improve upon it. Trump just wants to get rid of it with nothing to replace it - in the middle of a pandemic. So millions would lose their insurance and anyone with a pre-existing condi-tion would no longer be insured. Just think - people who have or had Covid-19 would be classified as having a pre-existing condition.
Biden cares about all Americans and would work to help us find common ground. Biden respects the Office of the Presidency. He respects our democratic norms and the rule of law.
It’s obvious to me that Trump doesn’t love our country and he doesn’t care about any of us. He does not respect the rule of law, but he is quick to institute martial law. All he cares about is what’s in it for him, and winning at all costs. If he gets re-elected and we also wind up with an enabling Republican Senate, I believe our democratic form of government will not be able to withstand his self-interest and in-competence.
We, the voters, are the only part of our democracy that is left to preserve it. Please research your decision based on vetted information. Don’t rely on any source that has their own agenda. Don’t rely on information you find on social media. Think your decision through. I hope it will be clear to you that Joe Biden is the right choice for President. Even if his party isn’t the party you normally vote for — consider voting for country over party. Many registered Republicans are speaking out and voting for Biden, because they see Trump for what he is — a clear and present danger to our democracy.
Marion Farina
Thoughts on the current situation:
There is no literature or poetry in this White House. No music.
No Kennedy Center award celebrations. There are no pets in this White House. No loyal man's best friend. No Socks the family cat. No kids' science fairs. No times when this president takes off his
blue suit-red tie uniform and becomes human, except when he puts on his white shirt- khaki
pants uniform and hides from Americans to play golf.
There are no images of the first family enjoying themselves together in a moment
of relaxation. No Obamas on the beach in Hawaii moments, or Bushes fishing in Kennebunkport, no Reagans on horseback, no Kennedys playing touch football on the Cape.
I was thinking the other day of the summer when George H couldn't catch a fish and all the grandkids made signs and counted the fish-less days.
And somehow, even if you didn't even like GHB, you got caught up in the joy of a family that loved each other and had fun.
Where did that country go? Where did all of the fun and joy and expressions of love and happiness go? We used to be a country that did the ice bucket challenge and raised millions for charity. We used to have a president that calmed and soothed the nation instead dividing it. A First Lady that planted a garden instead of ripping one out. We are rudderless and joyless. We have lost the cultural aspects of society that make America great. We have lost our mojo. Our fun, our happiness. The cheering on of others.
The shared experiences of humanity that makes it all worth it. The challenges that we shared and celebrated. The unique can-do spirit Americans have always been known for. We have lost so much In so short a time.”
-
Elayne Griffin Baker
There is no literature or poetry in this White House. No music.
No Kennedy Center award celebrations. There are no pets in this White House. No loyal man's best friend. No Socks the family cat. No kids' science fairs. No times when this president takes off his
blue suit-red tie uniform and becomes human, except when he puts on his white shirt- khaki
pants uniform and hides from Americans to play golf.
There are no images of the first family enjoying themselves together in a moment
of relaxation. No Obamas on the beach in Hawaii moments, or Bushes fishing in Kennebunkport, no Reagans on horseback, no Kennedys playing touch football on the Cape.
I was thinking the other day of the summer when George H couldn't catch a fish and all the grandkids made signs and counted the fish-less days.
And somehow, even if you didn't even like GHB, you got caught up in the joy of a family that loved each other and had fun.
Where did that country go? Where did all of the fun and joy and expressions of love and happiness go? We used to be a country that did the ice bucket challenge and raised millions for charity. We used to have a president that calmed and soothed the nation instead dividing it. A First Lady that planted a garden instead of ripping one out. We are rudderless and joyless. We have lost the cultural aspects of society that make America great. We have lost our mojo. Our fun, our happiness. The cheering on of others.
The shared experiences of humanity that makes it all worth it. The challenges that we shared and celebrated. The unique can-do spirit Americans have always been known for. We have lost so much In so short a time.”
-
Elayne Griffin Baker
