Republicans are now criticizing Joe Biden’s speech for causing division in the nation by naming elements of the Republican party MAGA Republicans and criticizing them for being anti-democracy, and pro-fascist. Let’s face it, they are. If the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, White Supremacists, Neo Nazis, Klu Klux Klan and others are not, then how would one honestly describe them?

Is the president ever going to be able to change these people’s opinions by soft-talking to them? If he speaks to them at all, he should urge them to burn their MAGA hats and realize that they have been horribly misled and used by a fake strong man who has never carried through on any of his promises, except when they profited him personally, and who values them only for what he can get from them, or how he can use them.

My personal opinion is that he was not emphatic enough in his declaration against them. Their acts of terrorism and threats to law-abiding and dedicated citizens must be shown for what they are. I believe that these people are nor irredeemable, but it will take shock treatment to wake them up to realize how they have been misused by Donald Trump. He needs to continue telling it like it is.

Detlef W Wieck

San Juan Island