A letter regarding the world of politics appears in the July 25, 2024 Jewish Link (“It’s Time to Go, Joe.”) A reader, Zachary Greenberg, makes a series of political comments that can easily be described as controversial. But that is what a letter to the editor can be. What I take exception to is the disrespect shown to U.S. President Joseph Biden, whom Mr. Greenberg describes as possessing “declining cognitive abilities.” As proof to this thesis, Mr. Greenberg opines that this decline explains why Donald Trump has been described by the president as posing a “threat to democracy.”
My reaction is this: Mr. Greenberg, unless he is a personal physician to the president, should not be referring to “declining cognitive abilities.” That is not his judgment to make. The Jewish Link is a communal organization, and blatant disrespect (or major insensitivity) aimed at the president should not be publishable.
But more importantly, scores of former Trump cabinet members have gone on record to say Mr. Trump lacks the temperament to be president. Finally, Mr. Trump has been cited as saying he looks forward to being “dictator” on day one of his anticipated presidency. I will say that no major party candidate in American history has ever made such a shocking statement. So taking all this into account, it may be fairly suggested that Mr. Trump indeed poses a threat to democracy.
I disagree with other statements made by Mr. Greenberg, but he is entitled to have his say. The statements about President Biden, however, are unworthy of appearing in this publication. That portion of the letter was crass and it served no purpose.
