Letter: Base political support on basic human rights

It hit me this week that people close to all of us are struggling; trying to make ends meet. Their rents are at an all-time high, health care is expensive and services are limited.

Watching most Republicans in Congress today reminds us that it is time to review our principles. John Meacham once said, "At stake is not only the policies of ordinary times, but the viability and the durability of American democracy itself. There are forces abroad and in the land that are chosen to put their own power ahead of everything else. To them, politics is not a mediation of differences but an occasion of total war."

We are at a time that your choices involve truth against lies, morality, integrity against self-interest and power. For women, your individual rights to your body are at stake; if you love another man/woman they want to take away your right to love who you wish. If you have mental illness or are struggling with homelessness, they want to take away your support and your right to quality care. Each of us needs to stop, take a moment, and look at what we stand for as an individuals.

Part of the justification is that these extremists (which are in the majority of Republicans) say they are following the teachings of God, and they are aligning with what he wants. Christians cannot serve both God and the Republican agenda. Their priority is money and power; not fair wages but favoring the rich. The messages of fear, hate, deception and prejudice are triumphing over the real message of love, reconciliation, restoration of community and humanitarian actions toward all people.

What do you really stand for? For me, I cannot align with anyone who is not aligned with basic human rights for all people.

Martha Newlin

Aurora