LETTER: We are all immigrants, yet we demonize those at border

To Ozaukee Press:

It seems that much time is spent exaggerating the danger of letting people into our country along the southern border. Who benefits from this focus? The drug cartels who smuggle drugs and other contraband in all sorts of vehicles while we focus on people? The politicians who pander for votes? The rich who would turn this country into a gated community?

Ninety-nine percent of us are immigrants or descendants of them. Some of our own citizens decided to storm the Capitol in order to degrade our democracy—not enhance it. They were not immigrants who crossed the southern border. The attempted coup was led by elected officials who appointed others with the same treasonous intentions, and some are still in positions of power today. These people, not those crossing the border are the real danger to our democratic way of life. They are easy to spot, because they deny lawful elections, exaggerate and support unfounded conspiracy theories and cheerfully demean others at rallies.

Autocrats don’t govern, they demand allegiance. There should be no place for them among our elected or appointed officials. They are the real danger.

John S. Strauss

Campton Hills, Ill.