The late, noted German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoffer, wrote from his prison cell during World War II “Silence in the face of evil is in itself evil. Not to speak is to speak. Not to take action is to take action.” Sadly his words ring so true today.

Daily. the President lies, tramples democratic values and institutions, sows hate and division among the citizenry, and shreds the norms of decent, moral behavior. The Republicans in Congress, including our own Senator Collins, barely stir in response to the President’s repeated assaults. Sen. Collins attempted to take the President to task for his recent rant against four Democratic Congresswomen, but only after she roundly criticized the “far-left of the House Democratic Caucus” and then only to say that the President’s comments “were way over the line.” Hardly a rebuke of his behavior in this instance, and certainly no condemnation of the president’s endless stream of cruel, racist, misogynistic commentary.

Anyone with a functioning moral compass would be repulsed; anyone with a few ounces of courage would be forcefully condemning these assaults against our common humanity and decency. How sad that there seems to be neither moral compass nor courage among Republicans. It’s truly a devil’s bargain that they’ve made with Mr. Trump, calculating that there will be enough Americans sharing similar sentiments to keep them all in power. The challenge for the rest of us women and men of good will is to ensure that those who’ve made this hideous bargain don’t win another term in office.

Paula Valente

South Portland

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