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LETTER: Time to ‘get off your knees’

3 min read
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Time to ‘get off your knees’

In 1969, upon entering the Marine Corps, I took a solemn oath to protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. All federal elected officials are given a similar oath. When taking that oath, an expiration date was never mentioned. My oath is just as valid 52 years later as it was then. Do you want to know who I am? I am the sum total of my honor and integrity. I am 70 years old, just another old Marine who still stands ready to protect our Constitution, the American people and the laws of our nation. Our Constitution was not written for any one me or group of me’s, but for us – all of us equally.

Sadly, our elected officials have time and again shown that their oaths expire before they lower their hand. After that their lives become one of “justifiable ethics,” holding on to power and political expediency.

I look at the 140-odd Republicans in Congress who joined a lawsuit and voted in what was to be a ceremonial session to in essence overthrow our newly elected government. I believe that to be acts of sedition and insurrection, and you should pay a due price. You all are complicit in the deaths, injuries and damage incurred on Jan. 6. Don’t hide behind legalese because legal ethics have no relation to the ethics that honorable and decent people are expected to live by, the ethics we claim to teach our children.

My congressman, U.S. Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, claims to be a veteran, so he must have taken the same oath as I. But immediately upon taking office he got on his knees with the rest of his party and bowed to their new god, Donald Trump. He, and they, began to act and speak like Trump and our own Dave Ball, repeating his lies until they believe them and hating all Democrats. Trump has repeatedly thrown the Constitution in the trash, and the Republican Party has supported him every step of the way. How can you say that you love America when you hate Americans?

Unfortunately, Reschenthaler was just reelected. But I have a long memory. Never have I campaigned for or even put out a sign for a candidate. But in the last several years I have been appalled by what the Republican Party stands for, only power and personal gain. I will make phone calls, knock on doors and actively campaign against any candidate I deem unworthy. Mr. Reschenthaler, I will campaign against you. You have shamed yourselves and our country. You aided and supported a man wanting to be king. He wanted to be elected but never wanted to do the job and you are not doing yours.

I have always believed “it is better to die in my feet than live on my knees.” Get off your knees!

Charles Williamson

Washington

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