Letters to the Editor | July 17, 2024

The attempted assassination of President Donald Trump revealed how amazing the man really is. Within seconds of nearly dying, he stood up to comfort the crowd and showed them he was OK. His presence of mind in that crisis moment was astonishing and heroic. His clearheaded lengthy social media post, only hours after being shot, showed remarkable courage, heart, and strength.

At a time in his life when he doesn’t need fame, fortune, or a name, the man literally took a bullet for the people and the country he loves. He told a reporter later that he wanted to stand up and speak to the crowd after the shooting. The security people would have none of it. His critics might likely call him a fool for wanting to do that. The rest of us will call him a patriot and a leader. The picture of his raised fist, blood on his face, and the American flag waving above will live in our minds forever. A doctor said that if the bullet was a quarter inch closer, we would likely be planning a funeral in place of a convention. Thank God Trump is still with us.

Ken Frank, Pitman

President Joe Biden’s remarks saying America should not go down a road of political violence are too late. Donald Trump has endorsed and promoted a culture of political violence for years. Most notably, he incited a riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in which 140 police officers were injured. His rhetoric is full of hate and vitriol toward Democrats, calling them vermin. He refers to the mainstream media as enemies of the people. He says he will be a dictator on Day One if elected, and tells his supporters, “I am your retribution.” No one has done more to increase the divisions in America and turn up the temperature, claiming that if he is not elected, there will be a bloodbath. What he fails to understand is that when he promotes such violence and creates a Hobbesian world in which there is a war of all against all, no one is safe. Not even him.

George Magakis Jr., Norristown

In the aftermath of the attempt on Donald Trump’s life that left one man dead while protecting his family, and others seriously injured, I have yet to hear a voice raised that reminds people that “as ye sow, so shall ye reap.” Trump has been calling for violence against his foes for eight years, and his calls have often succeeded in triggering violent responses from supporters. This time the Republican shooter aimed at him, not his opponents, with an AR-style weapon. I hope Trump will reevaluate his position on guns and violence and call for a peaceful election with a ban on assault rifles.

Kenneth Gorelick, Wayne

Back in 1787, when asked about the form of government created by the newly adopted U.S. Constitution, Ben Franklin famously replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.” With those words in mind, it is worth contemplating the impact a second Donald Trump presidency could have on the durability of our Constitution. Trump already advocated for the termination of provisions in the Constitution, in furtherance of his unfounded claims of widespread election fraud.

If reelected, there would be nothing to stop him from shutting down all federal criminal proceedings pending against him, and as promised, pardoning convicted Jan. 6, 2021, rioters. Furthermore, no one should be surprised if Trump were to implement at least some of the Project 2025 proposals, such as staffing the executive branch with MAGA zealots to facilitate his avowed goal of exacting retribution against so-called enemies of the people. Accordingly, voters who are even remotely concerned about safeguarding our constitutional norms can act on their concern on Election Day by flatly rejecting Trump.

Patrick J. Hagan, Ardmore

The president, as we envision the role today, is supposed to be practically superhuman and serve as both the head of state and head of government. We expect them to be the steward of our economy as well as a solid communicator and the embodiment of our nation. No other country has these same expectations of any one leader — and it is impossible for any one person to perform the role completely.

The framers of the Constitution envisioned the presidency differently. The president was merely to serve as the one in charge of executing the laws passed by Congress. Over time, our legislators have ceded many of their responsibilities to the executive. This is mainly due to partisan gridlock that has given rise to unserious lawmakers making unserious proposals that appeal to the fringes. So, every four years we are subjected to the spectacle of dramatic elections in which we choose a president with the hope they will fix everything. It is inevitable they disappoint us.

How do we move forward? As a system, we need to rely less on the president to provide the solutions to our problems. We need to hold our legislators accountable for the gridlock that has failed to provide solid legislation and reasoned discussion about the issues that matter in our lives. As written in the Constitution, the president serves as the head of the executive branch, and while we consider the election, voters should think more of the president as the head of a team, in the form of their cabinet and staff. We would all benefit from a shift of expectations to the professionals the president appoints — with congressional approval — to run the various departments of our government.

Our leaders need to create an environment in which our expectations of the presidency reflect what is actually achievable by one person and enable decisions that would be best made at the legislative and local levels. As voters, let’s shed our partisan rally caps and recognize reality: We have made the role of president too much of a focal point, and we need to think of that as we cast our ballot in November.

Alexander Morales, Philadelphia

Wow. Flyers fans from the 1970s always knew Gene Hart to be a knowledgeable and entertaining announcer, but reading Inquirer sportswriter Matt Breen’s article added layers to my understanding of the passion and commitment Hart brought to his craft. The fact that Bobby Taylor remembers in such great detail, decades later, Hart’s meticulous suggestions about how to notice things by recording everyday scenes into a tape recorder, displays his mastery not only at announcing but teaching. Hart was doing this kind of stuff years before it was standard in schools. Just like with Taylor’s appreciation of Hart, the extraordinary collections of skills at all levels of the game from those ‘70s Flyer teams got larger and larger with the passage of time. They say you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. We in Flyers Nation had quite a lot with those Stanley Cup champion teams. Hart was yet one more jewel in those crowns.

William O’Toole, Chalfont

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