What would Atticus do in this case?

Like Atticus Finch, I try to look at both sides and put myself in another person’s shoes and walk about in them a bit before passing judgment. For the last year as I’ve watched our political process threatened and a pandemic sweep our nation, I find myself concluding that our Republican leaders, from local to federal, are morally bankrupt. I know there are a number of fine individual Republican politicians (Senators Mitt Romney and Lisa Murkowski, Representative Liz Cheney, along with our own Governor Brad Little come to mind), but on the whole they appear to be lacking in human compassion,  ethical standards, and moral fortitude.

During his presidency, Donald Trump clearly tried to kill one of our nation’s finest “mockingbirds,” our democratic republic system of government, and Republican leadership either openly supported or at best passively abided these attempts; that, to me, is an unforgivable sin. I have left the Republican Party and, while I may take exception with a number of Democrat positions, at least they seem to have higher principles and a bit more integrity.

TOM HOULIHAN

Sandpoint