To veterans: Ignore the noise; be proud

As a retired military officer, I think I speak for all veterans. The No Kings protests across the country that coincided with the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary of its founding was proof that liberals have no respect for our military. 

To foul the air Saturday with their chants and posters showed all who have ever worn a U.S. uniform, all who have been sent overseas, all who have endured combat, all who have been wounded and lastly all who have died in these liberals’ service that you are not worthy of all we have endured. 

To my brothers in arms in the U.S. Army, this Marine says “Duty, Honor, Country” is who you are. Be proud of your service and don’t let the noise from these protesters take from your Day of Remembrance and Glory of your service.

—Col. John Saputo, USMC Retired, Longboat Key

A counter to king editorial

In the opinion piece on June 19, Mr. Walsh lists multiple attributes of kings, as catalogued by Thomas Jefferson, and asks if any of them sound like Trump. Let's look at some of them:

1. "Erecting a multitude of New Offices...to harass our people." DOGE springs to mind.

2. "Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us."  The Marines in Los Angeles, anyone?

3. "Cutting off our trade with all parts of the world." I guess imposing taxes on every country in the world doesn't count.

4. "Imposing taxes on us without our consent." Pretty much every reputable economist feels that his import taxes will be paid by Americans in the long run.

5 and 6. "Depriving us in many cases of the Benefits of Trial by Jury'; 'Transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses." Has Mr. Walsh forgotten about El Salvador already?

Go through Mr. Jefferson's list, and see how many of his items are NOT being pursued by Mr. Trump, then decide if he is acting kingly or not.

As to whether or not he might be promoting fascism in some form, Mr. Walsh quotes that fascism includes an "aggressive nationalism and often racism." I'll let the reader decide for themselves whether that fits Mr. Trump's profile.

—Jon Matthew Farber, Longboat Key

Trump a fascist? Let’s say maybe not — ‘yet’ 

Thank you for your recent treatise providing us with your “Worst Of” for both long past kings and fascists. 

In so doing, you have narrowly capsulized the tyranny of those systems at what might be best described as their respective zeniths. However, they were not born at the pinnacle of their powers. 

Like so many systems of government, they began with small measures that only grew greater and more forceful over time. Their power and reach accumulated across days, then months and finally years. 

Not unexpectedly, your stance on the recent “No Kings” protest in Sarasota (bundled together with some exaggerated portrayals of similar protests across the country) completely whiffs on the primary reason why Americans are protesting. You are certainly old enough to recall that Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once opined that while it was difficult to define what was, or was not, hard-core pornography “I know it when I see it.” 

America is changing under Trump and, in the opinion of many, not for the better. 

We understand what we see happening and where it is headed. The actions of this administration (as well as the many monied interests that support it) may not equate to full-blown royal transgression or fascist overreach at their worst — yet. 

And while Trump may have stated “I don’t feel like a king,” his words are not typically those which one might choose to trust. We should focus less on his words, while more actively concerning ourselves with his intentions. 

Then, once again, we might want to add — yet.

—Greg Witt, Sarasota