Dear Editor: 

I am a 69-year-old American woman, lover of Georgia, and transplanted to this state in 2020. My husband is retired military and served this country well for 28 years. My grandfathers, father, brother, cousins served this country as well protecting our rights as a free and respectful democracy. I have worked all my life doing two to three jobs at a time to support my family, never thinking I was less because I worked more. I now depend on my Social Security and Medicare/ Tricare to live out my remaining years.  I cannot vote for a party who does not care about my needs as well as the needs of millions of others like me. I don’t understand why Republicans want to put these programs on the chopping block. I don’t understand why they don’t care about the very people who fought for their country and should be paid for their service and health. I don’t understand why they want to hurt those that support them!

I want a democracy, free to vote, all votes to count, a democracy that believes I am not second class because I am a woman.  We the people, all people regardless of our differences and our roles in this country. The rich are not above the rest of us, for without us, they would not be rich. I believe the first person you meet in any business is the most important. They are the face of the business, the first impression. Where would the retail businesses, factories, farmers, restaurants, hotels, etc. be without people? Are we not seeing problems now? Where are our workers? 

I believe that anyone running for an office should be smarter than me.  There should be qualifications, testing, thorough background checks, no conflict of interests.  I believe that there should be truth in advertising, including political speeches and ads.  I believe a person running for office should treat all people the way he/she would like to be treated. There should not be us versus them.  We the people are Americans. Not African American, Hispanic American, Asian-Americans and multicolored versions of Caucasian Americans. We are Americans, which means we should appreciate the differences between people, get educated about other cultures, our differences, our religions, and work with everyone to make this a great and safe America. We the people need education, not ignorance or hate. We need truth not lies.

Big businesses should not rule our country, government officials should not benefit from big business. Our health and safety should not be endangered for greed. People need to protect our planet, not venture to another because this one was destroyed. We the people should be guaranteed that our homes, lives, schools, places of work and play are safe. 

If you don’t want a democracy, then vote for the people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who harasses a teenage boy who was in a horrific mass shooting, or tells people that Democrats are out killing Republicans or any of the nightmares she conjures up.  If you think she is the best you can hope for, then, vote for her. 

Then there is Herschel Walker who had one too many hits to the head.  His own family is against him, he has threatened women with guns, his own employees with violence, police with violence, and had paid for abortions when the pregnancy was his. If he is all you hope for, then please, vote for him.

I believe in government officials that care about everyone, not just their own party. I believe in the separation of church and state.  I believe in the constitution, I believe the constitution needs to be looked at and updated to be inclusive of all people, to take into consideration the need for change if anything is a danger to Americans, if any rights are denied. I believe if you are a supporter of Jan. 6 and the people involved, you are a traitor to our constitution and the United States of America. You are not a patriot; you have disgraced the American flag.  If you have guns because you think it’s your right, you should be disarmed because you threaten to use them against Americans, because you are an insurrectionist, a traitor, a non-American.

I believe in free speech if that does not cause harm to others. Threats and lies are not free, they come with great cost.  The color of your skin does not make you a better human. Standing by false gods and the Trump does not make you a better human. Treating others as you would want others to treat you makes you a better person. Voting for our democracy against crime, greed and insurrection will make a better United States of America. Vote American. Vote for integrity. Vote for your life. This is not about party, this is about the truth, justice, and our American way.

Ruthann Sibbitt

Covington