We don’t do this

I recently returned from a month of history and cultural touring in Europe.

The gigantic thick-walled rock and brick buildings, castles, palaces, and churches with gaudy, ostentatious massive interiors, displays of jewels, paintings, woven tapestries, stained glass windows, statues and plated gold sculpture, Roman roads and walls were awesome, overwhelming.

Back then, the male populace, controlled by compulsory military service, were huge forces paraded for battle to later plunder cities, intimidate people – destroying on command. To rebel meant death.

This wealth and power, amassed by rival princes, kings & queens (mainly kings), bishops and popes, were meant for one-upping one another to maintain control, influence, land acquisition, and patriarchal rule.

When military extravagance is paraded upon huge plazas to glorify Putin (Russia), Kim Jong Un (N. Korea), Xi Jinping (China), it’s apparent that the age-old fanaticism of craving for superiority continues to compel.

Trump has aligned himself with these bellicose, bombastic boobies with his own parade spectacle, using our military as tools to puff himself up and seek homage from other power-hungry men.

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration cut veterans’ benefits by millions of dollars, causing great health and living condition concerns; calls them suckers, losers, dummies and crazy for serving in the military; and fires competent, experienced military leaders that are women, men of color, and those who follow our Constitution by not bowing to him.

This is not who we are.

Tyrants of the past were ousted. That’s what needs to happen now.

Gayle Brauner

Port Angeles

Mangled trees?

Maybe I haven’t lived in Sequim long enough, but I am trying to figure out why so many street-lining trees have been so badly mangled. They’ve been trimmed back so hard that they’re completely distorted… assuming they even survive.

I get (that) we have wind storms and we need to keep power lines clear, but really!?! At what price? The line of trees near the QFC got badly over-hacked to the point where they are barely recognizable as trees.

The Japanese maples along Seventh got limbed up and they don’t even have power lines anywhere near them. I don’t get it.

Jackie DeVincent

Sequim