To the editor:
I think I was wrong. I complained that The Breeze allowed letters filled with false information, especially those parroting Trump’s absurd grandiose lies, to be published without fact-checking, ie, as if they were accurate. I guess the price of a free press is equal public access, which includes printing opinions of readers containing inaccurate information. It is up to the public to do their own research to determine what to believe.
The recent Breeze editorials taking a stand against the conduct of Trump’s personal militia (and his egregiously incompetent enablers) have been courageous, as was publishing Mr. Clasen’s letter (Jan. 30) containing extensive excerpts from 1945 government pamphlet about guarding against fascism taking root at home in the United States.
I did not serve in World War II (though my dad did) but I am old enough to have been in the military, and to have protested, during the Vietnam era. President Nixon was forced to resign (or face impeachment) only because those Republicans were not today’s craven sycophants, and that Supreme Court did not have a corrupt majority beholden to far right special interests.
The Jan. 30 edition of the Breeze also published a second lengthy letter, by Mr. Biefelt. That letter is a model of misinformation worthy of the Trump propaganda machine. Of course Trump’s favorite target, Obama, is blamed for the immigration crisis today. The writer states the number of immigrants removed from Minnesota as 10,000, more than triple the actual figure, while the number of ICE “goof ups” is stated as a staggeringly inaccurate “less than 1%.” This letter goes on to repeat favorite right wing talking points since Reagan: Our country has been invaded by “large numbers of people… to suck off the teat of our welfare system” and protesters are “paid anarchists.” The writer inaccurately claims Renee Goode struck the officer who killed her with her car “causing internal bleeding” and the officer had to move his family into hiding for just “trying to do his job of ridding our nation of criminals.” That is so far from reality it’s not even wrong.
Speaking of ICE agents why are they allowed to wear masks and supposedly given “absolute immunity”? No other US law enforcement agent or correctional officer, prosecutor or judge has either of those “protections.”
We are at a tipping point: the 2026 midterm elections will determine the direction we take: democracy or fascism. Trump knows this and is doing everything he can to protect his power. His outrageous military actions abroad have not been just distractions from his participation in Epstein’s activities and his failure to improve the economy for anyone who is not a billionaire donor, they are distractions from Trump’s authoritarian overreach here at home.
Vote like your life depended on it, because it just might.
Billy Herman
Cape Coral