Letters to the editor for Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016

Trump as president is a frightening possibility

Consider the following: Bernie Sanders is headed for the Democratic nomination and Donald Trump has the GOP nomination; Michael Bloomberg jumps into the race as an Independent and the election sees no candidate receiving the necessary electoral votes. The House of Representatives chooses the president — Donald Trump.

A man who bragged, “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldn’t lose any voters, OK?”

Someone who disparages women with such comments as, “Women are essentially aesthetically pleasing objects.” Another time, “fat pigs,” “dogs,” “slobs” and “disgusting animals.” That Bette Midler’s “ugly face and body” are offensive. “Rosie O’Donnell is crude, rude, obnoxious and dumb.” Cher is “lonely” and “a loser” because she doesn’t support him. He said women fawn over him because he’s rich and powerful. And then, “I love women,” something one might find more believable if he had added, “But only one at a time!”

We would have a man in the White House with his finger on the nuclear trigger who said he would use nuclear weapons against ISIS, an action that could kill millions of civilians. Civilian casualties are an unfortunate reality of war, according to Trump, justifying such an attack with, “They (nuclear weapons) would send a clear message to those who conspire against America and her allies.”

Trump is sending a “clear message” to the American people. What happens next depends on whether they are listening; have a sense of history; can see through the demagoguery; love their country more than their political party and enough to prevent this dark scenario from becoming a reality.

John O’Neill

Minden