I am an 80-ish veteran. I served in the Navy right out of high school, 1959-62. I believed in my country and protecting it. I served 30 years as a firefighter/EMT for the town of Hopkinton.

When I was growing up, my parents were staunch Republicans and so was I. In the early 1970s I served on the Hopkinton Republican Town Committee.

Then along came Richard Nixon (whom I voted for twice) and his shenanigans. He made me think twice about belonging to a political party and following leaders like a herd of cattle. I became an independent, voting for the person I thought would do the best job.
Fast forward to 2016. I studied up on Donald Trump, didn’t like what I read, and voted for Hillary Clinton. Trump’s motto was “Make America Great Again.” There was nothing wrong with it at that time.

Now, we had an election in November, and Mr. Biden won. However, being the person Trump is, and acting like a 5-year-old (who he really is, having had no consequences for any of his bad actions all of his life), he insists he won.

I believe in our constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully. However, on January 6, when the first window in the Capitol was broken and people entered the building, it no longer was a peaceful demonstration. It became a seditious insurrection by a mob, egged on by Donald Trump.

Every person who entered the Capitol that day should be arrested and convicted. Trump should be punished, including being barred from ever holding office again. Remember, at least five people DIED as a result of the actions of that mob and Donald Trump.

What happened to my America?

I can understand people supporting Trump in the past, but anyone who now supports him should be ashamed.

After four years of Donald Trump’s mismanagement, America is broken. Now we need to “Make America Great Again.”

In the 1930s, when Adolph Hitler was coming into power, a lot of good people knew he was wrong and did nothing about it.

We’ve heard ad nauseam from Trump supporters about the “stolen” election. It’s time for the Silent Majority to step forward and make themselves heard by standing up for the Constitution. This is my standing up!

Mr. Biden, please bring back my America in all of its goodness and glory!

— William T. Hamilton Jr., Hopkinton

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