To the Editor:

Mr. Ellis’s first sentence [letter dated Feb. 14 titled Hammond man concerned about Biden's ties to TikTok] begins, “2024 is underway, and what a year to be alive!”. Agreed. Although I think one could argue that every year is a good year to be alive.  

However, he lost me with his very next sentence, “With so much to keep our eyes on, it has become a full-time job for ‘wide awake’ Americans”. I am curious as to whom exactly are the “wide awake” Americans he may be referring to, that he made sure to put in quotation marks?  

I was born in this great country. Raised in this country. Educated in this country. Work in this country. Pay taxes in this country. Raised a family in this country. Registered Republican in this country, for far much longer than Trump has ever been.  

Did Mr. Ellis perhaps ever serve in our country’s Armed Forces, such as my Mom and Dad both did in our U.S. Marines Corps? If yes, then “maybe” he might be able to make an argument that he might be more patriotic than I am.  

Alas, I am however not now, nor ever have been, a MAGA, or a Trumper. I am surmising that this therefore inherently disqualifies me from a “wide awake” American, even though I pride myself on being rather plugged in on local, national, and international events. I actually have a passport, and have been fortunate enough to travel and live not only outside of the North Country, but outside of the continent. I have seen what other countries have to offer first hand.   Despite all of this silliness and freak show, ours is still, by a longshot, the best. This is why I will never be able to subscribe to any of the party’s Grievance Politics, and Anger Campaigning.  It’s literally all that they have right now, and I wish I was joking. 

One of the symptoms of Cultism, as well as Christian Nationalism, according to peer-reviewed Sociologists, is this whole “I am one of a select few who are ‘in the know’. And it’s “Us versus Them” mentality. Even before Trump, we also saw this sentiment prevalent in the 9/11 Truther Movement, as well as the Obama “Birther” Movement.  

What I would like to see in 2024, is simply this…a return to sanity. 

And if during this year’s national Presidential Election, we are offered a simple binary choice of a candidate who is either 1) slow and senile, or, 2) stupid and crazy…well… 

Leland Farnsworth
Massena