Rick Dime and David Adler both had letters in last week’s Times that I found completely wrong and dangerous.

Rick wrote of Americanism (Republicans, Nationalists) versus Globalists (Democrats, liberals) but assigns each group characteristics which are pure poppycock and backwards. He blames Globalists for “censorship to compel mass compliance” and credits Americans with supporting “open debate as the essence of liberty and justice.” What country has he been living in?

It was Republican-run states which banned books, outlawed abortions (often even birth control), use of certain words, teaching the truth of our history and providing medical care or medications for trans youth. Republicans violently threatened poll workers and opposition candidates and their families, attempted an armed coup at our Capitol and cried fraud where there was none. Republicans deployed extreme censorship and manipulation of the truth based on false right-wing views that this is a white, Christian nation and only their rigid beliefs count.

David’s letter spoke of the importance of the Second Amendment and having armed militias! With gun violence being at epidemic levels (321 people shot and 111 killed every single day); after the horrendous armed attack/attempted coup on our Capitol and Capitol police; the increased frequency of mass shootings, many resulting in the slaughter of so many of our precious children, I find this to be a disgusting priority.

Our nation and freedoms aren’t endangered by a lack of guns but a love for them and for violent autocracy instead of free and fair elections. We’re endangered by the spreading of misinformation and conspiracy theories by Fox, OAN, Qanon and others. If we have no shared truth, democracy can’t survive. And political parties who accept these lies, lying candidates and violent, threatening behavior to maintain their power, at any cost, will be our doom.