From Lou Dalton

Monroe

To the Editor:

In my mind, the fundamental questions in this year’s midterm election (and beyond) are these: What is America? What do we stand for? What do we allow?

Make no mistake, the daily violence that is occurring in Trump’s America is not only egregious, it is changing our own mores, our own sense of self. Every time we read AGAIN about a person violently assaulted by ICE, whether this is Wilber Rafael Garces Perex in Austin, TX show in the back or the thousands of children detained for months, it changes us.

Initially we respond with shock, disbelief and deep psychic pain: how can this be happening in America, the land of the free? But when this happens repeatedly, we begin to feel numb and allow these atrocities to melt into the background.

Meanwhile, this outrageous violence has become the norm in America. How do you think these traumatized children will grow up? How do you think terrorists are created?

ICE continues to refuse to wear operable body cams, thousands more ICE agents are slated to be hired in the coming months, and the violence and total disregard for the rule of law goes unabated.

Voting in this year’s midterms has never been more important. America MUST change directions! Vote as if your life depends on it!