You write and I respond

The challenge I would put to Tafhdyd is to cite one thing Donald Trump did before becoming president to keep non-English speaking persons from becoming citizens. For that matter, what did he do as president in pursuit of that purpose? Long before Donald Trump became president, the requirement that one be able to write, speak and understand English has been standard for citizenship applicants to the United States. Exceptions to the rule do exist but I know of nothing the Trump administration did to change or undermine those exceptions.

Next is a letter writer by the name of Garrett Epps, who also sent an email to me with similar comments. Regarding the “1776 Report,” he wrote, “That ‘report’ made sweeping statements about history and the correct way of teaching it; however, its authors did not include even one professional historian.”

I am uncertain what standard Mr. Epps uses to declare an author a “professional historian,” but the authors of the report include the following:

Larry P. Arnn is president of Hillsdale College in Michigan. Founded in 1844, Hillsdale has never used or accepted federal money — not in the form of grants, or in the form of student scholarships. It is wholly private. At the college, Mr. Arnn is also a professor of politics and history.

Carol Swain served formerly as a professor of political science at two universities: Princeton and Vanderbilt. She is also a retired professor of law from Vanderbilt’s Law School. Ms. Swain has authored several books, is a public speaker and news commentator.

Finally, there is Matthew Spalding. Mr. Spalding is the Kirby professor in Constitutional Government and dean of the Van Angel Graduate School of Government, located at Hillsdale College’s extension campus in Washington, D.C.

Frankly, I am surprised Mr. Epp, himself a professor of law emeritus, University of Baltimore School of Law, would denigrate the credentials of Mr. Arnn, Ms. Swain and Mr. Spalding. It would appear to me that the three co-authors have the qualifications necessary to write the report for which they were commissioned. And while I suspect their perspective on history and politics may differ from Mr. Epps, they are at least equal in standing to him.

Finally I would like to address the words written by David Crabbe, who I fondly remember as a fellow San Carlos citizen, and who three of four times came boldly before the council to offer his deep and thoughtful insights.

David wrote, “It’s time for the Republican party to rid itself of Trumpism and bring back the “Grand Ol’ Party” of Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan. A party that had ideas and policies based on facts, not conspiracies and lies.”

Well, David, if I may, I find it interesting that you, firmly cemented on the left side of the aisle as you are, should care one wit about the affairs of the Republican Party. If you are sincere, perhaps you should attend a Central Committee meeting and make your concerns known there.

Also, your having mentioned Trumpism and Ronald Reagan in the same sentence, it opens the opportunity for me to make this observation: The Republican president who picked up where Ronald Reagan left off was neither Reagan’s vice president, George H. W. Bush, nor his son, George W. Bush. Rather, it was the 45th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, who took the torch of Reagan and carried it forward.

P.S. to Tom R. Halfhill: You alone wrote directly on the matter of the U.S. Constitution. Not wanting to ignore you, your points will be addressed when, hopefully, I return to the draft mentioned above.

A former member of the San Carlos City Council and mayor, Matt Grocott has been involved in political policy on the Peninsula for 17 years. He can be reached by email at mattgrocott@comcast.net.