Dear Editor,
As I’m writing this both Lt. Col Alexander Vindman and
Gordon Sondland have been fired from their positions at the White House. By the
time this letter is published I’m sure there will be another scandal happening
in the news that completely eclipses this one. There are many times in the last
four years I’ve been about to write a letter to the editor on various issues
and didn’t because something else always came up that brought fresh controversy
and outrage. This point in history, however, has to be marked. Future
generations, while doing research on or learning about this time in history,
need to be able to point to instances in which ordinary citizens stood up and
spoke truth to power.
Lt. Col Vindman and Mr. Sondland have been fired for their
testimony to the House Intelligence Committee regarding the impeachment of the
President. Not only that, but Lt. Col Vindman’s brother Yevgeny, who also
worked in the National Security Council as a “senior lawyer and ethics
official”* has been fired as well. These firings are a clear act of retribution
by the President. Now I come to the point in my letter in which I explain my
thesis and why it should be of concern. I find myself in a place of almost
utter wordlessness. Do we really live in a country where I have to explain why
retaliation by the President of the United States against a decorated Army
officer, an ambassador of his own choosing, and the sibling of the former who
had absolutely no connection to this whatsoever is wrong? Are we really to this
point? Because good God. If people are taking the side of an illegitimately
elected President (this has been proven, don’t @ me) rather than supporting a
legitimate, bonafide war hero who risked, and has now lost, his job and more,
then every virtue patriotic Americans have claimed to have in the past is
rendered meaningless.
Amie Acton
Alfred Station, NY
*Frias, Lauren. Trump also fired the twin of impeachment
witness Lt.Col Alexander Vindman in apparent retaliation for his brother’s
testimony. 2020, Feb 7. Business Insider. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com.
Letter draws response from Scio resident Adam Wiech:
I am writing this email in response to Aimee Actons letter to the editor, first for this woman to accuse a president elected by the people as illegitimate is obscene and untrue, it's rather obvious this woman does not like our president which is fine however her accusations are untrue and need to be called out as such...President Trump defeated Hilary Clinton in an American election even while many nefarious actors tried to stop that from happening as PROVEN by the IG report and Mueller investigation ... This lady confuses fact from fiction, as far as the firings these men work for the president and he has the option to fire and hire whom he chooses as does any boss. It became apparent that these men did not share the same viewpoints on foreign policy and clearly lied to Congress (if you watched the trial ) when pressed these men could not identify any crime committed by our fine President Trump other than policy differences or assumptions. I as an American salute Mr Vindman for his service, however that does not absolve him from criticism and scrutiny. Many presidents fire and hire people in line with their policy and beliefs. So this lady is certainly entitled to her opinions and I respect that but we as a people and country should not conflate fact from personal feelings ...thank you for this forum for good and civil discord
Adam Wiech, Scio resident and proud trump supporter...
Letter draws response from Scio resident Adam Wiech:
I am writing this email in response to Aimee Actons letter to the editor, first for this woman to accuse a president elected by the people as illegitimate is obscene and untrue, it's rather obvious this woman does not like our president which is fine however her accusations are untrue and need to be called out as such...President Trump defeated Hilary Clinton in an American election even while many nefarious actors tried to stop that from happening as PROVEN by the IG report and Mueller investigation ... This lady confuses fact from fiction, as far as the firings these men work for the president and he has the option to fire and hire whom he chooses as does any boss. It became apparent that these men did not share the same viewpoints on foreign policy and clearly lied to Congress (if you watched the trial ) when pressed these men could not identify any crime committed by our fine President Trump other than policy differences or assumptions. I as an American salute Mr Vindman for his service, however that does not absolve him from criticism and scrutiny. Many presidents fire and hire people in line with their policy and beliefs. So this lady is certainly entitled to her opinions and I respect that but we as a people and country should not conflate fact from personal feelings ...thank you for this forum for good and civil discord
Adam Wiech, Scio resident and proud trump supporter...
