We need to love, defend the United States

In a recent opinion piece in the Bee, Ms. Fallat declared we would not want to live Hitler’s Germany or Stalin’s USSR. I couldn’t agree more! She described life in Hitler’s Germany as one with no freedoms and targeted brutality.

Hitler was legally appointed chancellor, then used depression-era turbulence to become dictator. His supporters included major industrialists; it was a capitalist system whatever he called it. But it was the rule of one man, who maneuvered to have laws changed to give him unlimited power and no term limits. Hitler was a nationalist, power hungry and ruthless.

Our constitution and institutions are stronger, and we likely can resist a power-hungry politician who would turn us into an autocracy. But, the bedrock of our institutions is us. We need to resist any attempt to undermine elections, prevent votes being counted or to ignore outcomes.

Whatever our differences, we all love the US and need to defend it.

MOLLY O'REILLY

Sandpoint