I am compelled to respond to the Maine Compass of Dec. 10, “Biden’s failure to call for ceasefire in Gaza”. Alex Smith’s column smacks of a ransom note, holding his 2024 vote hostage. He uses the one-dimensional and emotional argument that Biden is supportive of Israel and not worthy of his vote; therefore, I would ask what his strategy to end the war in Gaza might be and what ramifications would likely ensue. Hezbollah and Hamas, not to mention Putin, would be gratified, I’m sure. Meanwhile, he’s willing to risk a second Trump presidency by casting his vote elsewhere.
My resume may not be as expansive and illustrious as Smith’s, but I’ve had first-hand experience with the effects of war on innocents. As a registered nurse, I cared for a child who came to the U.S. with her family in 1992 in need of surgical intervention for horrific injuries sustained in the war between Bosnia and Croatia. That painful experience, my anguish over what is happening in Gaza and my limited understanding of the complexities of that ages-old conflict, however, do not make me an expert on what should be done to alleviate it. There are a lot of armchair presidents in this country, many of whom are sowing discord, hatred and violence along the way. Righteous indignation and emotion, however do not qualify them to second guess decisions being made at that level.
If you’re concerned about the havoc Netanyahu is wreaking in Gaza, then you better not be complicit in bringing Trump, an autocrat wannabe back to the White House. Withholding a vote for Biden out of righteous indignation is a fool’s errand when democracy is at stake. Don’t think what is happening in Gaza, Israel, Iran, Russia, or Ukraine cannot happen here.
Robin Johnson
Waterville
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