With all due respect to Rabbi Rosenfeld of Fair Lawn, I am compelled to leap to the defense of my good friend and neighbor Zachary Greenberg (“Show Some Respect,” Aug. 1, 2024). Rabbi Rosenfeld upbraids Zack for referring to President Biden’s “declining cognitive abilities.” This “thesis,” Rabbi Rosenfeld insists, demonstrates a lack of respect for the president of the United States.
Anyone who reads the news, however, is informed daily — by members of both political parties — that the president is, in fact, facing “declining cognitive abilities.” All agree. It may not be something to gloat over, but the statement is factual. It is not controversial.
What is controversial is the accusation that President Trump “poses a threat to democracy” This thesis is arguably what led to the former president being shot and nearly killed. Cherry-picking statements by a man known for his hyperbole (the I-will-be-a-dictator-on-day-one misquote) is unhelpful. Trump voters know to take him seriously, not literally.
Sensible Americans understand and appreciate that our great country’s system of checks and balances works well enough — including on and after Jan. 6, 2021 — to prevent the nightmare scenarios that the mainstream media continuously conjure up in a lame and tired effort to scare people into voting for their preferred candidate.
And speaking of their preferred candidate, the real threat to democracy — actually the very undermining of democracy — came when the leaders of a major American political party tossed out the results of their primary voting and installed a candidate more to their liking. We’ll see how that works out.
In the meantime, I’d like to hear more from Zack.
Sunrise Strong!
