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Trump’s stupidest Cabinet member is hard call but has clear winner

Editorials

At a press briefing on Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth complained about a CNN report that the Trump administration had underestimated Iran’s ability to disrupt global oil traffic by closing the Strait of Hormuz. “Patently ridiculous,” Hegseth told reporters, adding — even as the strait’s blockage was proving to be Iran’s most powerful leverage in the war — we “don’t need to worry about it.” He also denied that the U.S. bombed the school where some 175 children were killed. Hegseth added that, as to CNN, “the sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the ...

Trump gets us in yet another ‘no-win’ war

Letters to the Editor

DEAR EDITOR: The definition of “ignorant” is lacking knowledge and training; i.e., uninformed. Our military is taught and trained to not follow illegal orders. If this is true, who is responsible for the non-congressional declaration of war with Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq? The four “no-win” conflicts cost many lives and permanent lifelong injuries. Plus, they cost American taxpayers trillions of dollars, and the military contractors made billions of dollars that could have been used here in the United States. Are our military and the American people ...

Our civilian-military bond is cracked

Editorials

On Tuesday, TMZ published a story with a dramatic all-caps headline, “PETE HEGSETH BLEW BILLION$ ON FRUIT BASKETS, LOBSTER,” that was accompanied by a manufactured photo of the secretary of war surrounded by a bunch of plastic lobsters. The initial story was followed by several other “news” organizations repeating the claims. If you’ve never covered the military, or served in the military, or if you don’t have any family or friends in the military, this would appear to be a shocking story. But it’s not — not even remotely. It is a common practice for the Pentagon to ...

Bernard LaFayette Jr. was a leader guided by love

Editorials

When I read about civil rights activist and minister Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr. passing away earlier this month, I thought about how almost all the heralded foot soldiers of the civil rights movement who were momentous leaders during my youth have left us. LaFayette’s passing comes in the wake of the death of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a much more well-known figure, although LaFayette also worked on social justice initiatives in Latin America and South Africa. He was one who tirelessly labored behind the scenes, organizing voter registration drives in Selma, Alabama, which helped ...

Lots of ‘maybes’ about Trump’s war in Iran

Letters to the Editor

DEAR EDITOR: Maybe if Trump had respected the American people by discussing necessary information pertaining to this war beforehand. Maybe if Trump had discussed this war with congress and some smart people. Maybe if Trump didn’t sneak around everybody. Maybe if Trump hadn’t lied about his “attack” intentions. Maybe if Trump threatened less and listened more. Maybe if Trump had something more intelligent than just an ‘idea or thought’ of war. Maybe if Trump didn’t use language like “just for fun” when speaking of this war.. Maybe if Trump and Hegseth ...

We are defenseless against stupidity

Letters to the Editor

DEAR EDITOR: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi dissident, died for his beliefs in 1945, shortly before the end of World War II. Bonhoeffer wrote that there is a difference between ignorance and stupidity. Ignorance is simply not knowing, whereas stupidity is knowing, yet choosing to believe what the collective deems to be truth. He saw this firsthand as Nazi propaganda portrayed all Jews as evil, and much of the German population accepted the narrative without questioning the validity of the accusations. Against stupidity we are defenseless. We ...