Prime Minister’s Questions

Thank you to the BDN for the editorial in support of instituting an American version of “Prime Minister’s Questions.” It is a good idea. I have a quibble with the suggestion that, “Again, we don’t see any need to import additional yelling into our political process.” Very Maine nice but…

While any fan of C-SPAN or anyone who has listened to President Trump’s stump style can attest to our own vocal theatrics, the Brits also have a wonderful range of non-verbal vocalizations wonderfully amplified by the acoustics of Parliament’s chamber. We would have to work hard to equal that but it might be a draw for Americans to listen to our government for themselves.

Annlinn Kruger
Bar Harbor

Time to do something about corruption

Apparently, someone said that someone heard a rumor from an anonymous source that President Trump had a secret conversation with the President of Ukraine. Wow! And that’s not all:

Remember the time when Trump was paid $500,000 to give a speech in Moscow? Oh no wait, that was Bill Clinton.

Remember when Trump failed to disclose foreign donors to his foundation as Secretary of State? Oh no wait, that was Hillary Clinton.

Remember the time Trump’s foundation received $145 million from shareholders of a uranium company that was eventually sold to the Russians? Oh no wait, that was Hillary Clinton.

Remember the time when Trump was part of a committee that approved the sale of roughly 20 percent of American uranium mining capacity to Russia’s nuclear agency? Oh no wait, that was Hillary Clinton.

Remember when Trump was caught on an open microphone leaning into a Russian diplomat saying that he would be more flexible after the election? Oh no wait, that was Barack Obama!

Remember the time when Trump met with the attorney general on an airport tarmac? Oh no wait, that was Bill Clinton and Loretta Lynch.

It certainly is time for someone to do something about all this corruption, isn’t it?

Jack Gagnon
Lakeville

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Maine should be proud of abolishing Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It’s coming up Monday, October 14, and it’s a good time to reflect on First Nations (tribes) who were treated so cruelly by Europeans. We stole their land, crushed their culture and nearly exterminated them. History books written by non-Natives refer to “savages” and “brutal attacks by Indians,” without acknowledging Native people were human beings defending their land and livelihood. Columbus, on the other hand, killed and enslaved indigenous people and clearly did

not “discover” America, as we were taught in school.

We cling to self-serving myths about the treatment of Native tribes, and inequality and injustice continue today.

My only wish is that we could call it Native Peoples Day. So much easier to say.

Steve Cartwright
Tenants Harbor