To the Editor:

In June 2024, Trump told a Nevada rally, “I don’t care about you, I just want your votes. I don’t care.” Strangely, MAGA
laughed and applauded. History has shown that a country’s self-sabotage can be even more destructive than an enemy attack.

He is not operating from political or moral principles, but from his own desperate, visceral need to be seen as powerful. In
an interview in The Atlantic, a Trump ally compared the Trump administrations, “The first time…it was just, ‘Let’s blow this
place up.’ This time, he’s blowing it up with a twinkle in his eye.” Trump trumpeted that, in his second administration, “I
run the country — and the world.” (”Top of the world, Ma!”) That will be surprising news to China, Russia, Iran, etc., is
international political malpractice, and is but one sign of his increasing dementia. Trump has radically compromised our
political and trade status in the world, and placed a bull’s-eye on America.

Trump II is critically wounding Social Security, is moving against Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start, even the agency that
administers “Meals on Wheels”, and is allowing a man with a dead worm in his brain to trash our world-recognized scientific
superiority, to eliminate federal contributions to institutions researching cancer, diabetes, mental health, etc., and to
slash disease-control agencies. The Republican Congress whimpers and promotes its draconian budget. RFK, Jr. is also
advocating a mandatory registry to identify and track autistic American citizens to create a data bank. For what purpose? He
has cruelly and erroneously declared that they are essentially worthless individuals, “who will never have a job, or pay
taxes.”

Trump has eagerly urged El Salvador to “build at least five more [prisons]!” so that he can incarcerate American citizens of
his choosing, while pretending to helplessly cower at the superior authority of El Salvador to deny Abrego Garcia’s return.
Trump is insulting and threatening the lower courts and stonewalling or defying SCOTUS’s orders to return Garcia and provide
Constitutional Due Process. DOJ has authorized warrantless arrests, and ICE wants even more federal money. Trump believes
that his administration’s word, without proof, is sufficient to imprison an accused criminal. Just like the tyrant in
Russia, he believes he is beyond the Law.

A constitutional crisis looms, and the outcome will affect every one of us - MAGA or not - our children, friends, our way of
life, and our Constitutional Republic. We, the People, are at a treacherous crossroad.

Martin, while not every reader of the Gazette is interested in your pouty screed against the late Pope Francis, or my
unnecessary defense, I would like to take a moment to acquaint you with the comments of Fr. Javier del Castillo, the head of
the very conservative Opus Dei.

“Pope Francis called everyone to a Christianity that is less about image and more about encounter—less about what we do or
possess, more about communion with God and charitable service to neighbor. In doing so, he did not always make things easy.
But he made things real.”

Francis reminded us that we have a duty to recognize each other as God’s children. His Christ-like commitment to the poor,
his humility, and essential humanity, should be honored by everyone

Kelly Scoles,

Fillmore, Ca