A Gray Day

Today is a gray day for our country. I could say dark day but I’m a more optimistic person than that. The signals sent by the results of the presidential election clearly reflect the opinions of many of our fellow Americans. It would be so easy to be angry at them for choosing Mr. Trump (who I will never refer to as President). His disrespectful attitudes, violent language, dangerous beliefs, and general self-seeking ways, have led us to be a country that is unrecognizable to me. He has not been honest with those who supported him. He bamboozled them into believing he was going to “be there” for them and make their lives better. I am deeply saddened that these individuals feel so terrible about themselves and their lives that they would buy into such empty words.

Despite the electoral college results, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, which speaks of how more of the country actually feels about Mr. Trump. Let us not forget this. My strategy for managing the election result is to encourage myself and others to use caring, kindness, and respect in treating each other going forward. Love is a powerful antidote to espoused and practiced hate. Your tears this morning will not go unnoticed. I hope we can each find a place to use what we feel about the election to say “No” to the poisonous rhetoric spoken about our country, our people, countries around the world and their people, to neutralize the darkest words I have ever heard spoken from “one of us.” That is, an American.

I know we can work together and as Hillary Clinton said, be “stronger together.” Let’s make America OURS again.

Moreen R. Halmo

Brunswick

Bring Dignity Back to Government

I believe nearly everyone is disgusted with the depths that political campaigning has sunk to. Isn’t it time that the citizens speak up and demand that their representatives and senators change the rules/laws so that in future NO CANDIDATE or his/her representatives may mention or even allude to his/her opponent in any way before or during the campaign months? Let the politicians say what HE/SHE intends to do if elected. We need to bring respect and dignity back to our government. We are a laughing stock. I frequently speak with Canadian citizens and they follow everything that is reported. Of course the media loves the dog and pony shows, so they will be against this idea, but WE THE PEOPLE’s wishes should prevail! Remember debates in high school, when opposing sides debated controversies guided by an unbiased individual? No one spoke over a speaker and each person was listened to and given time to give his/her opinion. Not boring….Dignity.

I voted, but for the first time in over 50 years that I have been privileged to cast my vote, I was ashamed of the whole system. Shame on US for allowing it to go this far!

Please call or write your senators and Representatives and demand (nicely of course J) that something be done before the next election.

Louise Marcoux Bowker,

Waterville