An Open Letter to Supporters of Donald Trump for Presidency
Dear Fellow Americans:
The past eight years have been very difficult under a President who seems to have it as his mission to transform American society in any way he can. With more laws, more regulations, more treatment of Americans citizens as fodder for social experiments, and more manufacturing jobs vanishing, among other things, the anger at an elite which seems all too eager to embrace all of these things is understandable. It is an anger I share.
This anger, however, seems poised to elect Donald Trump to a position in which he will be able to wield, domestically and abroad, more power than any one other man in the world. The United States of today is comparable in power projection only by looking at places like ancient Rome. The United States Armed Forces have no equal now, and perhaps in history, for deadliness and purpose. Many of your own sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, grandparents, and others, have served proudly in these Armed Forces, in great and necessary expeditions.
Now, with the support of Donald Trump, he is riding high in the delegate count. After last night's debate, I want, however, for you to pause for a moment and consider something. Mr. Trump has stated, twice now, that he will use the U.S. Military to pursue terrorists. In itself, this is perhaps a laudable goal, if pursued with purpose, and with morality. Mr. Trump, however, has added that he would go further.
In one interview, Mr. Trump stated:
We’re fighting a very politically correct war....And the other thing is with the terrorists, you have to take out their families. They, they care about their lives. Don’t kid yourself. But they say they don’t care about their lives. You have to take out their families.Last night, during the debate, when asked whether the military would do that, he stated, "They won’t refuse. They’re not gonna refuse me. Believe me."
Pause to consider this for a moment. Really imagine such a scenario. I have children who will (too) soon be of the age to serve. An order comes to my child, stating, "Go into the village and arrest or kill this wanted member of Isis. While you are there, if you observe any children or women around this man, whether armed or not, kill them." I would hope my child would refuse. I would hope my child would resign and face charges for disobedience to a superior officer. Would you want your child to be faced with that order? With that situation? Would you want your child to obey that order?
In his book, "The Brothers Karamazov," Dostoevsky's character Ivan tells his brother of these horrors:
Imagine a trembling mother with her baby in her arms, a circle of invading Turks around her. They've planned a diversion: they pet the baby, laugh to make it laugh. They succeed, the baby laughs. At that moment a Turk points a pistol four inches from the baby's face. The baby laughs with glee, holds out its little hands to the pistol, and he pulls the trigger in the baby's face and blows out its brains. Artistic, wasn't it?Is this what we want? We have always had a pride, especially among Christians, of protecting the innocent. The rage against ISIS is developed in part from its treatment of women and children. Not because these were women and children who were of the enemy, or what have you - it's because execution of the civilian is wrong. It's because execution of the innocent is wrong. Why...WHY...elect a man who seems to have very few truthful and direct things that he has stated, of which this is one, consistently reiterated?
Being "tough" while being a "thug" is not strength. It is quite the opposite. Please...rethink your position...before our children are asked to point the rifle, and slay the innocent.
UPDATE: Mr. Trump reverses: http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/politics/donald-trump-reverses-on-torture/index.html
UPDATE (3/5/2016): Wait now..maybe he didn't quite repudiate it...https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/03/05/did-trump-truly-repudiate-torture-and-the-murder-of-civilians/
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