Letter for Monday, Aug. 28, 2017

• What hurts one hurts us all

What hurts one hurts us all

I was not jubilant when Trump was elected nor enamored since.

Trump has redeemed himself. Tucked into his speech committing further American soldiers to death for honor in Afghanistan, at the end of his paean to our military personnel, was a populist gem:

“(A) wound inflicted upon a single member of our community is a wound inflicted upon us all. When one part of America hurts, we all hurt. And when one citizen suffers an injustice, we all suffer together. Loyalty to our nation demands loyalty to one another. Love for America requires love for all of its people.”

Thank you, Mr. President, for stating so eloquently why:

• discrimination based upon race, color, national origin, any aspect of gender, or religion, is pernicious to our society;

• the denial, economically or otherwise, of health care to any member of our community is an affliction which cannot be tolerated;

• the injury of joblessness or insufficient pay for even one American harms us all;

• the injustice of a poor public school anywhere in our country demands loyalty from all of us to cure;

• the hunger of one citizen starves us all;

• the hurt of homelessness or lack of affordable housing is a national concern;

• the suffering of any impoverished senior or disabled person is our nation’s suffering together; and,

• we must love all of our people, even our immigrants, our political opponents and our critics.

I will wholeheartedly applaud and support your legislation to put these principles into effect, and anticipate changes in your communications consistent with this stated creed. For too long have the interests of the well-off billionaires and large corporations politically dominated over the needs of the struggling, less-favored members of our American community.

Jed Somit, Kapaa