TRUMP IS WORSE THAN VICTOR ORBAN

As a dual citizen Hungarian American I have twice voted against the party of Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban.  While I do not support Mr. Orban’s style of governing, he has not rejected elections nor advocated for undemocratic laws. He is abiding by the laws of Hungary, with a coalition government of approximately 60% in parliament. Opposition parties are making steady progress in replacing his government. Mr. Orban has used religious themes and Hungarian nationalism to rally support, even though Hungarians are not particularly religious and Hungarian nationalism is more myth than fact. Hungary was founded by a mixture of ethnic groups, Magyars among them.  Most Hungarians want to remain part of the European Union, which has lavished financial benefits on them. This is why Orban often attempts to violate EU rules, but then retreats by way of some compromise.

So, while democracy struggles in Hungary, there is much to suggest it will survive.  Donald Trump, on the other hand, clearly has authoritarian tendencies and poses a grave threat to American democracy.

Peter Somssich, Portsmouth

Support Williamson

Have you lost hope in our democratic process? Have you noticed how the Democratic party is not even letting people choose who will represent them? Are you disgusted with the dysfunction between the two major parties? Does all of this tempt you to just not vote in the NH presidential primary?

Please don’t give up hope.  There is a candidate who is not influenced by big corporate money. There is a candidate who understands that we need economic justice in this country, so those willing to work can afford a house, college education, health care, child care and a vacation. There is a candidate who will address climate change, toxins in our food and water, war and peace. She has a blueprint for systemic change, addressing the root causes of our problems. Interested?

That candidate is Marianne Williamson. Visit  www.marianne2024.com  to learn about her vision for a UNITED States. Don’t be fooled by media smears and false narratives.  Please vote January 23, 2024.

Judi Lindsey

Stop Pretending that Trans Persecution is Helping Kids

Here are excerpts from an on line discussion between Ohio and Michigan state legislators about how to further anti-trans policies.

“In terms of the endgame, why are we allowing this for anyone? Why stop this for anyone under age 18, but not older? It’s harmful across the board,” said Michigan State Rep Josh Shriver.  Ohio State Rep  Gary Click. whose legislation would would prevent transgender athletes from playing women’s sports,   called Shriver’s comment “very smart thought.  Such legislators spell out blatantly  a strategy to move against trans people incrementally. Start with bite sized  pieces, ban trans women from sports,  prevent minors from receiving  life saving  health care, ban LGBTQ+ from being discussed, and eventually they’ll make it to the endgame.

That endgame is to prevent all trans people from receiving healthcare, persecute them for wanting to exist in a body that is comfortable for them, and force them back into the closet where these anti trans politicians think we belong.  The argument goes that discriminatory laws help children.   Twenty three states (and counting) have ignored the advise of every major medical association by banning  all forms of gender affirming health care for minors. Parents desperate for their children to receive such care have had to flee their home state, and even this may not be safe, since Texas has recently sued hospitals for private medical records of gender affirming care in other states.

Recently New Hampshire House Bill 619 passed the House. The bill prevents  trans adolescents from having gender affirming bottom surgery. Twelve Democrats voted for this law, influenced by Rep. Jonah Wheeler’s assertion that there was no slippery slope to this law, no path to more repressive legislation. This is naive. A non stop attack on trans rights is taking place here and across the country. In New Hampshire alone we have 17 bills entirely devoted to book bans, requiring teachers to out students to their parents, rolling back non discrimination protections, and banning trans health care and trans participation in sports. The health care these politicians seek to ban saves lives, including mine, 5 years ago.  A small but loud number of these politicians seek cheap political advantage by lying, fear mongering,  exaggerating “regret” among people who transition, and propagating the idea that trans suicides are a “myth.”  The vast majority of people who detransition do so because of societal, family and financial pressure, and who would weigh someone’s regret more heavily than somebody else’s life?  The goal, the endgame, is not help kids but to stigmatize, and these bills need to be stopped in their tracks.  If you agree, urge Governor Sununu to veto these bills if they reach his desk.

Alice Wade