I am grateful to be part of this country. It is hard to fathom those who do not and do everything in their power to destroy what we have in this country. By stupid actions of violence, protests, flag burning and hateful vengeance, how is that making us a better country?

How have we Americans become so blind to what we are doing to ourselves? We are destroying ourselves from within. We need not worry about an enemy taking over. We are handing the U.S. up for grabs. “United we stand, divided we fall.”

We have elections and then if we don’t like the results find all kinds of ways and means to tear down rather than support. We spend millions of dollars and precious time and any means to disrupt what should be a working government. To gain what? We were taught in kindergarten that if you play and work together, more gets done! We ignore the common-sense approach to so many things. Open borders? Really, what nonsense. The U.S. has been able to help many countries in need. Could this be so if we were to have unlimited immigration? Come in — move to Orcas, any and all, regardless. We have jobs for 100. What the other 200 of you will do is not our problem. We blame guns for killings rather than look at why our society behaves that way. We endorse sanctuary cities. We think protecting animals is more important than protecting human life. Abortion on demand even at birth, and we all pay for it. Women’s health “my foot.” We have changed the meaning of killing. What is next with that?

The human race is not perfect but we could strive in that direction. Spend our lives working the positive direction rather than tearing down our country that has been building for over 200 years as a country. Young as we are, we should know better. Will we spend the coming years working against ourselves or wake up, and get busy doing our part of keeping America healthy? God help us!

Velma Doty

Orcas Island