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The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
News / Opinion / Letters to the Editor

Letter: Beware of dictators

By Norm Luther, Spokane
Published: September 20, 2024, 6:00am

Do Donald Trump’s supporters have any concept of living under a dictator?

Have they ever studied Russia under Putin, Venezuela under Maduro, Chile under Pinochet, Germany under Hitler? Or closer to home, where Cuba traded one dictator, Fulgencio Batista, who committed genocide against opposition, for a “better” one, Communist Fidel Castro?

Are they currently watching Benjamin Netanyahu stay in power to avoid jail time from corruption charges — convicted felon Trump’s goal? Despite massive internal Israeli protests demanding his resignation, Netanyahu continues his annihilation of Gaza.

Can they relate to being jailed, beaten and even killed for opposing a dictator, as illustrated recently by Putin opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death and 24 Venezuelan Maduro protesters killed? Trump has pledged to jail political opponents, saying “such people will be ‘sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our country.’”

Also, I ask Trump supporters, unless you’re wealthy, do you think he will change and actually support measures that benefit you rather than simply continuing to talk like he does to stoke your emotions and anger?

Project 2025, written by Trump’s associates, is his dictator playbook; he admires autocrats like Netanyahu and especially Putin, to whom Trump would hand over Ukraine.

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