Readers Write: President Donald Trump, better in or out of office?

Star Tribune assistant commentary editor David Banks ("Unity is uneasy," Aug. 20) argues that we should not allow President Donald Trump to serve out his term. I disagree. Trump's appalling outbursts effectively brake right-wing plans cooked up in Congress. I don't want the Trump administration and Congress to "get things done." I want them to fail. Keeping Trump as president raises the chance that millions will not lose health care and billionaires will not get tax breaks.

Unintentionally, Trump has a progressive effect on public awareness. His racism and xenophobia incite more Americans than ever before to stand up for Muslims, blacks, immigrants and other marginalized people. Trump's attacks on Obama's environmental accomplishments trigger plans to protect the planet. Because of his campaign against the Affordable Care Act, the country understands everyone's right to health care. Trump's "America First" campaign raises awareness of American imperialism. Because of Trump's childish and churlish behavior, resistance against right-wing plans is rising.

I say "right-wing," not conservative. There's nothing conservative about opposing care for the environment, nothing conservative about racism and xenophobia, nothing conservative about fighting governmental order. I lean liberal, but I don't believe true conservatives lack compassion. The Republican Party of the past demonstrated compassion, environmental concern and statesmanlike behavior.

Mike Pence, with his reasonable demeanor, would make the right-wing agenda seem respectable. That would be more dangerous than letting Trump disgrace the office of the presidency. I trust our institutions and even a few members of Trump's Cabinet to keep us safe during his I-hope-brief and crazy presidency.

I want Donald Trump to go on embarrassing and discrediting the extreme right.

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Yes, Trump is a "national nightmare." But — he is not ephemeral, as Banks suggests.

Think about Trump's foreign-aid policy, which means aid can only be used to protect U.S. security. Consider the 1-million-and-counting refugees fleeing violence in South Sudan. Consider the thousand or more dead in Sierra Leone's mudslides, which now threaten many more lost through cholera. Consider the Syrian and Iraqi families now losing their homes and families to war. Consider the 1 in 10 babies and children under age 5 who die each year from poverty in the world's poor countries. None of these are important to U.S. security, yet they are refused aid and they die.

Perhaps most important, consider Trump's unstable mind and ego about U.S. military intervention in North Korea (and now Venezuela as well).

I agree with you, Mr. Banks, that Trump must go. He must go now, either by resigning or by impeachment. I encourage you to lobby the Star Tribune's Editorial Board staff to support the same.

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I respectfully suggest that Banks read the following provisions of our Constitution:

• Article I, Section 3, Page 3.

• Article II, Section 4, Page 12.

Needless to say, the current House is not going to indict the president, nor is the current Senate going to try him. Based on the president's background, he would never voluntarily give up the power he now has, nor would he do so if convicted of two felonies.

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I am close to being older than dirt. In all that time I have never seen a president so out of touch and dangerous. In seven months, he has taken a strong country and made us weak. He has embarrassed us so badly that we are writing letters to other countries, apologizing for him. I am a mom, grandmother and great-grandmother, and I started a "Non-violent Resistance Room" on Facebook. I want my family to know that I stood up and fought to save our country. Silence is not an option anymore!

Star Tribune commentary editor and columnist D.J. Tice (Aug. 20) argues that there is a difference between ideas and violence. Violence is illegal and must be suppressed. I also agree that free expression of ideas is a basic right. What Tice fails to mention is the connection between ideas and actions. He ignores the connection between bigoted ideas and the resulting denial of equal opportunities to oppressed groups of citizens.

The United States was founded on the principle that all people are created equal. After a very poor beginning, we are slowly making progress toward equal opportunity for blacks, as well as Jews, women, immigrants and many other minorities who have been adversely affected by discrimination.

Trump correctly spoke out against violence. He failed to speak out against bigotry, racism and hate. It is not against the law to hold these ideas. However, I would expect that the president believes that all people are created equal, and that all people are entitled to equal opportunity in this country. Therefore I believe the president should discourage discrimination and lead the nation along our path toward equity by asserting that bigotry, racism and hate are wrong. If Trump does not believe in a founding principle of our nation, he should not be president.

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Two outstanding columns appeared in the Aug. 20 opinion pages. Thoughts put forth by Banks and Tice will go down as profound journalism, influential because they were brave enough to question extreme media responses to President Trump's foolish comments regarding Charlottesville, and because Banks and Tice articulate so well the concept that Americans of all ideologies have the right to profess their beliefs without being confronted by violence. Acknowledging that bigotry, racism and expressions of genocide are reprehensible, both make the point that the best feature of being an American is the opportunity to express our points of view. Banks notes that he has probably made enemies based on his statements; that is bravery, standing up for what you believe. It was time that someone spoke to the point that both extremes in the Charlottesville event were wrong. I also appreciate the expression of doubt about the generally accepted concept of the left that just because I am white, I therefore must be wrong and racist.