To the Editor:

I was gratified to see House Republicans reject Gym Jordan as Speaker for the third time last Friday, by the largest margin yet. I understand why anyone would reject the dude because he hasn’t the slightest interest in governing. He just wants to wrestle and throw down, and to belittle any opposition. It’s all he knows.

There are credible reports that multiple death threats were made to dissenting Republicans and even their families. It didn’t help that one of his enthusiasts anonymously threatened – on tape - the wife of one non-compliant House member with “molestation that you can’t ever imagine.”

Meanwhile, Trump has apparently abandoned Gymmy as being of no further use to him (the former president has few admirable qualities, but you have to give him consistency), while dunderhead McCarthy continues to blame the Democrats for the fiasco, as if it’s their job to traipse after the Republican elephant with a long-handled broom and dustpan to remedy its colossal evacuations.

Fox and other Republican sources, including you, Martin, denigrate the efforts of our President in personally going to Tel Aviv to stand with Israel, understanding their rage and fear over the horrific Hamas attack two weeks ago. The President expressed sympathy for the desire to retaliate but called for clear objectives in counterattack to protect the innocents held as hostages in Gaza and prevent expansion of the conflict.

Biden urged Israel to do what we had failed to do after 9-11. He emphasized how important it is to have a “Plan B” when unexpected combatant consequences occur, as they always do.

I take exception to your mislaid remarks about Pope Francis. Finally, after centuries of old European men who understood nothing about the non-clerical world (excepting John XXIII), comes a man who had a life before the priesthood, who had friendships with women, families, even non-believers, and people of all social strata. He does not long for the vengeful Old Testament Yahweh, the social and political power of the Dark Ages Church, and he is absolutely not an Inquisition Catholic, the three strikes that are likely to be the sources of your vilification.

Pope Francis accepts the frailties of mankind, the need to recognize the sacred in each other, the need to be generous, the obligation to understand the God-given nature of all individuals, the complexities of marriage in the modern world, and to welcome the sinner. To you, this man is a heretic. To many of us, he is the human image of Christ.

Kelly Scoles,
Fillmore, Ca