To the editor,

Back in 2016, when I was still hoping that our new president wasn’t the person he seemed to be, he caught my ear by using the word “enemies” to describe 70+ million Americans! Nine years have passed, filled with all sorts of threatening rhetoric, and yesterday, we heard our president say to a crowd of thousands, “I hate my opponent.” His opponents, again, are at least half of the people he represents.

How did we get here? And, more importantly, “How do we get out of here?”

Not this way: Last week’s Journal described how Derrick Van Orden, the third district representative to the US Congress who only a couple of weeks ago was enjoying the red carpet treatment in Ellsworth, is weighing in on the case of the EHS teacher who posted her view of right wing influencer Charlie Kirk on social media following his death. The superintendent and school board have a tough decision to make. So Van Orden gave them this help: “I will be working to remove all federal funding including grants and community directed projects for the entire city of Ellsworth unless this is rectified immediately…I represent Ellsworth in Congress. It’s a beautiful town full of wonderful people, except this one.” Ah yes, the teacher is the kind of American we should all hate, an “opponent.”

Let’s just review for a moment: Someone with the full weight of government behind him is going to hold a school district hostage, to threaten a private citizen and an entire little town, because his own politics and hers conflict? Sympathies to Ms. Lesiecki. She used poor judgment when she posted her own political opinions online, simply because she’s a teacher. Apparently, if she wants a bully pulpit, she needs to become our congressional representative.

Vicki Cobian

River Falls