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Dear Editor,

I woke up this morning — Aug. 14, 2020 — and I was upset. After a few minutes, I realized that I was upset because our American democratic government and way of life was on the ropes. It was on the ropes because of a narcissistic, stupid, incompetent, and misguided individual had somehow ended up as our president — even after losing the popular vote in the 2016 election. Now this individual was going to block funding from the United States Post Office to admittedly influence the presidential election of 2020. Now, for the past four years, he has been committing outrage after outrage – foreign and domestic — against the American people and our Constitution. So, after processing these thoughts, I came to the conclusion that Enough Is Enough.

As a historian, quite naturally, my thoughts turned to the famous quote of Rev. Martin Neirmöller who, after embracing the Third Reich in the early 1930s, then realizing what was going on, said:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Martin Niemöller enthusiastically welcomed the Third Reich. But a turning point in Niemöller’s political sympathies came with a January 1934 meeting of Adolf Hitler, Niemöller, and two prominent Protestant bishops to discuss state pressures on churches. At the meeting it became clear that Niemöller’s phone had been tapped by the Gestapo (German Secret State Police). It was also clear that the Pastors Emergency League (PEL), which Niemöller had helped found, was under close state surveillance. Following the meeting, Niemöller would come to see the Nazi state as a dictatorship, one which he would oppose.

This letter is now my turn to speak for the American people:

• To the Postmaster of the Franklinton Post Office: I would like to volunteer my services — without pay — in any capacity which may help the post office process and deliver the expected increase of mailed ballots for the 2020 Federal Presidential Election.
• To the Republican and Democratic Parties of Washington Parish: I would like to offer my services in any capacity which may help further the cause of fair and free elections in Washington Parish and the State of Louisiana (I am a registered Democrat).
• To the local and national offices of the AARP (of which I am a member): I would like to share these thoughts and actions through meetings and speaking engagements in and around the Northshore region of Louisiana.
• To Senators Kennedy and Cassidy, and Representative Abraham of the U.S. Congress to act swiftly and decisively against the threat to our elections and voting rights espoused by the current administrations.
• To Senator Schumer and Speaker Pelosi of the U.S. Congress to act swiftly and decisively against the threat to our elections and voting rights espoused by the current administration.
• To the New Orleans Advocate/Times Picayune, the Baton Rouge Advocate, The Daily News of Bogalusa, and our local Franklinton Era-Leader to publish this letter to the Editor and spread the word that “Enough Is Enough!”
• To NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, NPR, and their local affiliates, please consider these offers and pass the word that American citizens are really tired of this specific situation as well as the general anti-American activates of the current administration.
• To the followers of my blog, Facebook pages, and website to please consider these offers and pass the word that American citizens are really tired of this specific situation as well as the general anti-American activates of the current administration.
• To the Biden/Harris campaign so they know that many Americans — like me, the infamous “silent majority” — are sick and tired of all of these quasi-Nazi attempts to control the power of the greatest nation on earth.

 

Jon (a.k.a. Jerry) Laiche

Franklinton