The United States is anything but united. We have become a nation divided by self-righteous religious fanatics who have become the Republican Party. The Fox News, right wing radio and cable, and Trump-Putin adherents have used “America First” bigotry of American exceptionalism to justify a war on women, children, LGBTQ, African Americans, immigrants, the poor, the environment, medicine, science, and fundamental rights to speak, vote, and assemble peacefully.

Even worse, they have become Butcher Putin defenders and admirers living in a virtual world of disinformation. These so-called Christian Evangelicals who have replaced their “savior” with Trump demean, denigrate, and devalue all that our nation claims to hold sacred in America's Declaration of Independence and Constitution. In fact, these frightened tribal neo-Puritans would make America’s national symbol, the bald eagle, a colic chicken. It is sad to see American ideals perverted into a cult of hateful, tyranny-loving, disturbed little people who parrot the words of fanatics who worship MAGA, Tea Party, QAnon, and Trump. It is shameful our youth do not know the America that won World War II, created the UN, NATO, and brought freedom and prosperity to the world.

David A. Andersen

New London