Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump signs autographs at a campaign rally in Concord, N.C., on March 7. (Gerry Broome, The Associated Press)
Re: What’s motivating Donald Trump’s Colorado supporters, March 15 news story.
Thanks for the article about Donald Trump supporters. It s helpful to look beyond the stereotypes and one-liners.
Like many, many voters, I am frustrated with the inability of our national government to address important issues. Like so many, I would like to see this election result in changes that make government more responsive to the interests of the U.S. and its people. Of course there are differences about what those interests are and what changes would be good. Those differences, and our (sometimes slow and clumsy) ability to balance them, are the essence and strength of this country.
I hope we can harness all the strong feelings evident this year into a commitment and activism that does in fact result in needed changes. Anger and oversimplification won t build a solid platform for the tough decisions we have to make. Intolerance of others values or opinions won t help much either. Let s build on our common heritage and use this election to kick-start some overdue changes in the way Washington works.
Steve Norris, Denver
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.I read with interest the comments by the folks in Lakewood who seem to plan to vote for Doland Trump. That is certainly their personal choice and I have no right to push them to do otherwise. However, in the piece and in their discussion, they — much like Trump — didn t actually detail many of their concerns other than to say they were unhappy with our current government and wanted a change. What exactly they are unhappy with now, and why they wanted something new, was not very clear. They liked Trump s pushy and often over-the-top style, which in the real government would not be well received by either this country or by our allies, who we have to work with in the future.
Trump seldom has any details for his plans; he just loudly says he can do it. For example, his plan to build an impenetrable wall between the U.S. and Mexico. He says he will have Mexico pay for it. Any Mexican official who tried to do such a thing would immediately and rightly be thrown out of office — or worse.
Trump is a master of public relations and of controlling the media, but his plans — if any — to run the government if elected are near zero.
John Ruckman, Lakewood
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.I appreciated your article profiling Donald Trump supporters because it reaffirmed that even well-educated people can hold simple-minded views of government. Exactly which of Trump s policies is thinking outside the box — building a wall and making Mexico pay for it? That s not a policy, it s preposterous fantasy — and anyone who believes it isn t thinking, period.
Trump is giving permission to latent racists and bigots to become overt racists and bigots, and permission to overt racists and bigots to become raging racists and bigots. If that s the America Trump supporters want to take back, they can have it.
Steve Coppola, Denver
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.The supporters of Donald Trump are described as frustrated and angry, two unhealthy negative emotions. The truth is that no one has ever made anyone else angry and frustrated. There is always a choice. I have blown up in anger where it would seem one would have to be superhuman not to, but still there is a brief instant before the emotion where I could have stood down and not joined the storyline. Are we in control of our emotions or do our emotions control us? To say someone made me angry is to give up some power I have to another and become their victim. I am not a victim.
Trump is a small-minded, mean-spirited, self-righteous man and anyone who supports him supports these attributes. There is too much of this in this world and we should not encourage more.
Martin Petters, Centennial
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.Re: Understanding the Trump phenomenon, March 13 Perspective article.
Donald Trump has certainly shaken things up. His critics have all manner of labels. Well, I think labeling is what got us to this point. During the Clinton era, if I didn t support President Clinton s policies, I was labeled anti-poor. During the Bush administration, if I didn t support the war in Iraq, I was labeled against the U.S. Now, if I disagree with President Obama, I m labeled a racist. I m getting tired of this labeling and being disenfranchised because of it.
I am a retired Naval officer and a little-to-the-right-of-center conservative Republican. While I disagree with a lot of what The Donald says, I can sure see his appeal.
Steven R. Turner, Centennial
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.A couple quotes taken from Henry Dubroff and John J. Huggins article: Trump s campaign messaging harkens back to … post World War II decades … , and, His rhetoric has been bigoted, bullying, racist, vulgar and ugly.
I wish they had gone back even further — to pre-WWII. After Albert Einstein fled the rise of Hitler in Germany, he wrote, ruefully, Any nonsense can attain importance by virtue of being believed by millions of people.
Patty Cordova, Denver
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.I read the article by Henry Dubroff and John J. Huggins last Sunday. In the first two paragraphs, they called me frustrated (yes), angry (yes), fearful (yes), bigoted (no), bullying (no), racist (no), vulgar (no), and ugly (not for me to decide). In the third paragraph I am nativist, anti-immigrant, and authoritarian. It gets worse. Who are these two guys to define me just because I back Trump?
Norma Anderson, Lone Tree
This letter was published in the March 20 edition.
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