CharlotteDems.com Editor’s Note: The following letter to the editor written by Charlotte Co. DEC Vice Chair Teresa Jenkins was published Tuesday, March 12, in the Sun.
Editor:
North Korea is guilty of murder, rape and forced abortions, yet our president “fell in love” with its ruthless leader. Trump actually said he believes Kim Jong-un when he said he had nothing to do with the death of an American student. He stood by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmon despite evidence he ordered the murder of U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi.
The U.S. president is not concerned enough to be ashamed of his blind eye toward these and other atrocities in China, Syria, or the Saudi war in Yemen — the horrors don’t even register with him. Decades of U.S. efforts to help many of these people are being erased, as human rights have become an afterthought.
The U.S. used to stand for universal human rights and democracy. But now, good and bad are defined solely by whether the interests of the emperor are served. He attacks our closest allies and proclaims affinity with autocrats.
This president and his party have turned their backs on democracy. Foreign policy now gives preference to brutal despots over democratic allies and offers excuses for whatever Kim Jong-un, or Mohammed bin Salman do, up to and including murder.
Subservience to foreign autocrats and exonerating thugs would cause most rational lawmakers to act.
Alarmingly, Republicans look the other way as their emperor abandons U.S. values and opens the door to murder without consequence.
Teresa Jenkins
Punta Gorda
