Want to know a secret?

Trump’s classified documents trial spells trouble for him | Column, Nov. 5

The debate as to whether Donald Trump should be disqualified from holding any public office is mind-boggling, especially for anyone who has held a top-secret clearance. To review: The ex-president ignored the requirements of the Presidential Records Act and took many highly sensitive classified documents with him to his Mar-a-Lago and Bedminster clubs, where they were stored haphazardly and even discussed with noncleared persons. Additionally, he refused to return many of them until forced to do so after an FBI “raid” on his home and office. Nevertheless, he maintains they were his to keep. If he were anyone else, he would have long since been tried, convicted and jailed for a very long time. And yet, there exists some doubt in the minds of not a few of his fellow citizens as to whether he should be disqualified from being elected president. Is it any wonder that America’s allies are nervous about our nation’s future reliability as the leader in the preservation of Western democracy?

Fred Kalhammer, Sun City Center

Kids today

Get very worried | Letter, Nov. 5

I was amused by the letter about today’s youth and the effect social media will have on them. I remember my great-aunt saying today’s youth was lost as my friends and I watched MTV in the ‘80s. My cousin’s grandmother held the door open and called for the Russians to go ahead and invade as my cousins played video games. And we survived. I remember people complaining about young people during the ‘60s as they grew their hair and listened to Beatles records. And we survived. I watched a documentary about the 1920s and how jazz music was going to be the end of us all. Even Socrates complained about the youth of his day. Young people grow up and will complain about whatever it is that new young people will be doing in the future. You can almost hear them say, “Get off my lawn.”

Carlos J. DeCisneros, Tampa

Presidential priorities

Israel needs a new leader | Column, Nov. 6

Columnist Peggy Noonan failed to mention that there is a lesson for our country in Israel’s current situation. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to elect a narcissist who is facing multiple criminal counts and who is more concerned about staying out of jail than the security of the nation he swore to protect.

Terrence S. Callahan, Crystal Beach