Presidential military use was in a different context
Re: “President Kennedy employed military to quell riots,” June 4 letter to the editor
The letter writer takes Gov. Polis to task for comparing President Trump’s threat to use military force in riot-torn American cities to Tiananmen Square, where the Chinese troops crushed peaceful demonstrations.
He recalls being a soldier in the 101st Airborne when President Kennedy sent members of that elite unit into Mississippi “to quell the riots and violence when James Meredith enrolled at Ole Miss.”
He then posits that Polis must, therefore, consider Kennedy equally wrong.
First, Kennedy tried every means possible to avoid using the military in Mississippi, while Trump jumps at the idea. Second, when racist mobs threatened to attack Meredith, and Gov. Ross Barnett proved either unable, or unwilling, to protect the man, Kennedy found himself forced to use federal troops. Kennedy knew that Meredith’s admission to Ole Miss was guaranteed by court order, and as president, JFK was mandated to enforce that law. By comparison, our current protests are motivated by racial injustice, not in support of it, as was the case in Mississippi.
Furthermore, authorities are working to mitigate the underlying anger at the heart of the protests, while our president spouts vitriolic rhetoric that can only inflame that anger.
In 1968, I was trained in riot control, while serving at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. My unit was never deployed for that disagreeable duty; I went to Vietnam instead. While I salute a fellow veteran for his service in a troubling time, as a retired history and government teacher, I feel honor-bound to keep the historical record straight.
Daniel Barber, Lakewood
The reader gave the reason why President Kennedy’s sending in the military was different from the situation today when he wrote, “when state and local law enforcement failed.” State and local law enforcement units in Colorado have not failed in dealing with the current demonstrations. They have used restrained force and have been lenient in enforcing the curfew when the demonstrators are peaceful. They do not need or want federal military help. Trump’s Secretary of Defense agrees that this is not the time to bring in active duty military forces because “the situation does not warrant it.”
Dick Sugg, Arvada
In appreciation of Porter’s words
Re: “Porter’s George Floyd tweets set off social media criticism,” May 30 news story
I read with great interest the story about Denver Nuggets rookie basketball player Michael J. Porter Jr.’s reaction to the killing of George Floyd.
It gives me hope is that here is a major sports figure speaking out for empathy and forgiveness, saying things like, “this country desperately needs a heart-level transformation” and, “As much as you pray for George family, gotta also pray for the police officer(s) who were involved in this evil. As hard as it is, pray for them instead of hate them … pray that God changes their hearts.”
It must have taken courage, especially in the face of the backlash he received. Sports figures are such powerful role models and I am heartened to see when they speak with such courage and compassion.
Thank you to Michael J. Porter Jr. for speaking out, and thank you to The Denver Post for printing the story about his tweets. We need this reminder that meeting violence with vengeance only adds to the cycle of violence.
Jean Bell, Evergreen
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