A question of truth and self-reflection

Here is a question I have been asking myself as I watch the various news outlets: Are you ready to die for your beliefs? Maybe those ideas are such strong principles that many would die? But would you kill another human being for your beliefs? I often wonder where the idea of ordinary citizens killing others for their strong beliefs came from in a modern civilized country. The Communist Cultural Revolution in China? Or terrorist suicide bombers? Is the popular propaganda of the day invading our minds so thoroughly through media and technology that insanity becomes the norm?

In a world of internet and social media brainwashing, it seems that negative rhetoric and name calling have taken the place of balanced discourse. As a previous college writing instructor, name calling was considered the last resort and only if you were losing the argument.

So let’s ask ourselves as I have felt compelled to do: Where does your truth come from and is it a truth that you can live with peacefully in your heart or does it create such negative energy that only anger and murderous thoughts prevail? It’s time for self-reflection in America. Who do we want to be?

Like Joni Mitchell said in the song “Woodstock”: “We’ve got to get back to the Garden!”

Bonnie Smith, Battlement Mesa

Positive cooperation at library board meeting

I went to the Library Board meeting last Thursday, and I was so pleased. Although they came from different ideologies there was no friction, only cooperation and respect for each other’s opinions.

They had already agreed not to change library regulations, and they are working on ways to allow citizens to voice their opinions. Four citizens spoke for up to three minutes; there were different opinions, but no rancor.

The meeting lasted less than two hours, discussing finances, library hours, and new members of the Oversight Committee. Two librarians were recognized for awards they received from the state.

After two contentious years of library meetings arguing about book banning, the First Amendment and parental rights, it was delightful to experience this cooperation and goodwill.

Cooperation and goodwill — how do we get our leaders and influencers to embrace those qualities?

Udelle Stuckey, Carbondale

Concerns about divisive rhetoric

It is sad to hear of the killing of Charlie Kirk, an act that Charlie actually called for in his diatribe to his captive young men in Utah.

His words of hate and divisiveness against immigrants, women and anything not MAGA were a carbon copy of the Trump administration’s talking points. Trump took the sad news as a family member struck down.

I can’t help but feel that the U.S. is in a better place now, given the strength and focus of Charlie’s right-wing call to arms against Democrats. When we look for the source of today’s ruptures in sane society, we only need to look to the drumbeats of division from the right, in Fox News, Breitbart, Russia and all the waves of misinformation and disinformation from the wackadoodle sources of confusion that want to control the easily controllable.

And so the messaging from our pathologically lying, hypnotic president and the parroting, right-wing Congress and Senate will always be one of hate and denigration of those who will not succumb to their strained perspectives.

John Hoffmann, Carbondale

Will Jeff Hurd sign Epstein files petition?

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie has informed voters:

“We have 217 of the 218 signatures required. We just need one more Congressman to sign the discharge petition in order to force a vote in the House on a bill to release the Epstein files. Victims deserve justice and Americans demand transparency.”

Will U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd show the courage to be the 218th Congressman to sign the discharge petition?

Neonila Martyniuk, Montrose