Readers Write: Many in GOP refuse to see parallel in Pied Piper tale

PHIL SKINNER / PSKINNER@AJC.COM

PHIL SKINNER / PSKINNER@AJC.COM

Many in GOP refuse to see parallel in Pied Piper tale

Liz Cheney has been taught a lesson. She has not joined her fellow Republicans in believing a lie. She has refused to join the pack of lemmings or drink the Kool-Aid.

Many Republicans know the story about the Pied Piper and the tale of James Jones. They recognize and scoff at the unbelievably irrational behavior and belief system of those followers that resulted in complete catastrophe. Yet for some inexplicable reason they refuse to see the parallel in their support for a demagogue who encouraged and supported an insurrection of the American government and insists despite all evidence to the contrary that he won an election.

While many Americans shake their head in disbelief over those who adhere to the Big Lie, even sadder is the recognition that those outside our borders stare into the abyss and wonder what has happened to America.

R.A. DICKINSON, ALPHARETTA

As dependence on gov’t rises, so does rage

While intrigued by the Readers Write letter about rage in today’s society and the need to address it (“Recent road rage incidents should frighten us all,” May 9), I was aghast the writer looked to government to come up with solutions.

A president who promised unity and has done nothing unifying and a Congress with members accepting — and sometimes encouraging — violent protests in our streets seem unlikely to remedy rage. Perhaps more coincidence than direct correlation, the rage the writer sees, if increasing, has increased as government has gotten larger and individual responsibility has shrunk.

Traditional families have waned. Human life has become cheapened, with many lives destroyed before birth and others developed without the nurture and discipline required to build character and civility. Yes, perhaps it’s just coincidence that as government has tried more and more to take care of people, people have forgotten how to take care of themselves and to care for their fellow man.

GREGORY MARSHALL, MARIETTA