Letter: America will overcome challenge despite Trump's failed leadership

To the Editor:

We are all enduring a health crisis we have never seen before.

We practice self-distancing and self-quarantine to keep us safe. It is times like these that we depend upon our government to make the right decisions to provide comfort and security that the greatest nation in the world will, once again, prevail, and we will survive this with the fewest mortalities.

However, President Donald Trump has done everything but that. He refuses to accept responsibility for a delayed response as a result of his denial of the pandemic and consequent downplaying and minimizing of the severity of the coronavirus.

He calls it a hoax and feeds us with falsehoods as it multiplies exponentially. He chides the media routinely and attacks reporters if they dare question his handling of the crisis. He fills us with false hope regarding drug therapy and a vaccine coming "soon", both topics he has no qualifications to comment on. And now he wants us to disregard the advice of medical professionals and gather again in groups in a mere 16 days.

The first charge of a president is to keep his citizens safe, but this president is too concerned about inflating his ego and salvaging his re-election chances. When we get through this pandemic, and I do believe we will, it will be due to the dedication and innovation of our health care professionals facing this menace on the front lines daily, in spite of Trump's denial and lack of preparedness.

Paul Ruger

Crystal Lake