Letter to the editor: Excellent letter on Democrats & racism

For years I have enjoyed reading your letters to the editor, but Mary Beddingfield’s letter “Democrats’ racist rhetoric appalling” (July 30, TribLIVE) was among the best. This self-described black woman from Homewood did a masterful job of countering the tired old Democratic tactic of calling everyone who disagrees with the liberals as racists or white supremacists.

Democratic Baltimore Rep. Elijah Cummings went over the top in verbally accosting Trump’s acting Homeland Security chief Kevin McAleenan during congressional testimony last month. McAleenan is trying to do a very difficult job at the border with minimal help from Democrats like Cummings, who used to believe the crisis was made up by Republicans, despite his never visiting the border.

Trump did nothing more than turn the tables on Cummings’ sanctimony by pointing out horrifying deficiencies in crime, sanitation, child welfare and education in his own district of over 20 years despite millions of dollars in federal aid.

Vilifying border agents and their managers who are sent by us to protect our borders is akin to sending our young men to Vietnam to fight for us, only to have them spit upon and called “baby killers” when they return (unpatriotic). Some Democrats like Nancy Pelosi actually warned of impending raids, thus endangering ICE agents sent to arrest many felons.

Thank you, Mary, for your excellent, honest letter and the courage it took to submit it.

Michael Contes

New Kensington