To the editor:

Thank you for your July 15, 2024 editorial “What Must Come Next”; calling for the need to realize how polarized our politics have become. I think your message of resolve to be kinder and more empathetic in the face of disagreement will resonate with many people.

But as reality sets in, one phrase in the editorial proves to be all too true: “lawmakers across the political spectrum uniting for a moment.” That’s right — a moment.

Because every Democrat and realistic Republican (as well as President Biden repeating his message of unity following the shooting) understands that Trump, his MAGA politicians and his right-wing media have been using toxic, aggressive rhetoric from the beginning. They’ve never had any intention of “uniting” and with MAGAs now trying to blame Democrats for the shooting, we would be fools to believe they have any intention of doing so now. Anger and aggression is what unites their voters — and they’re not going to change what’s working.

If Republicans truly wanted unity, they would have brought our country together during COVID with a message of being considerate of one another — not dividing us with conspiracy theories and suggestions of government overreach. If they wanted unity, they would have accepted the voter’s will — instead of spreading unfounded rumors that the election was stolen. If they wanted unity, they would have joined with Democrats and the majority of Americans calling for a ban on AR-15 military weapons after every mass shooting — instead of influencing the Supreme Court to reverse President Biden’s ban on AR-15 assault weapons, thus putting these unnecessary killing machines back on the street and into the hands of Trump’s shooter.

Republican politicians declaring war on bipartisanship by vowing to vote down every Democrat-introduced initiative? Trump pushing violence in 2016 when he said “Second Amendment” people could solve the problem of Hillary ever getting to pick Supreme Court justices? Trump saying there’d be a “bloodbath” if he doesn’t get re-elected? The RNC convention chanting Trump’s words “fight, fight, fight”? Not normal! But indicative of the GOP continuing to use their divisive methods: blame the other side, attack opponents, hint at an evil Deep State and cheer on the aggression of armed-militia and neo-Nazi groups.

The real reason MAGA politicians are now blaming Democrat “incendiary rhetoric” for the shooting is to distract from independent media’s leak of their Plan 2025. It’s kind of hard to put their 887-page manifesto back in Pandora’s Box, when it’s a written template for dismantling our entire constitutional government, putting Trump loyalists in every position and handing unlimited power to Trump.

Every literate, historically-educated person who has read Plan 2025 understands that its ideas are founded on fascism and will destroy our democracy. That’s not hype, a lie or an exaggeration. Read it for yourself: https://www.project2025.org/policy.

The only people capable of envisioning unity are Democrats and Republicans voting for the candidate standing up for rule-of-law, inclusive communities, decency and compassion — even if he is three years older than Trump.

Martha Hodges

Massena