My lecture to the voting public of the United States is simple; you can’t have things both ways. You can’t vote Republican and not accept all of its policies. You are voicing your approval of the following principles, or lack of.

Hypocrisy: This is the most alarming of all. The Republican establishment doesn’t dislike Ted Cruz; it hates him. But it is now supporting him in an attempt to defeat the likely candidacy of Donald Trump. The GOP doesn’t care if we have a qualified president; their only goal is to insure that he or she is their Republican of choice.

Hatred: The one thing in common mainstream Republicans and Trump have in common is the spread of hatred in America. They use the most destructive of all emotions to divide our nation’s people for the sole purpose of winning elections. Lies and half-truths are their tools, and foolish Americans cast their ballots for these non-Americans.

The War on Women: Because the Christian religious right is one of the owners of the Republican Party, it bows to its wishes. Not only does the GOP deny equal pay for women, and recognition of increasing domestic violence, they seek control over their bodies and personal rights. Republicans believe that women are third class citizens behind men and any fetus.

Immigration: The facts cannot be denied, unless you are a Republican politician. Establishing a way for nearly 12 million undocumented workers to secure legal residence would benefit our nation in multiple ways. Many of our nation’s people refuse to perform the types of labor accepted by Hispanics. If they received legal status, and their employers were forced to pay minimum wage, contribute to social security, Medicare, unemployment, and benefits packages, including healthcare, the financial benefit for our nation and its people would be enormous.

Income inequality: Republicans have no concern about the growth of income inequality. As the middle class diminishes, the wealthy class, and families living in poverty have risen in numbers which are unforgiveable. GOP politicians continue to support polices which increase profits for the one-percent and lower the quality of life for most Americans.

Racism: Republicans are leading a return of racism and bigotry in our nation. They are attempting to pass legislation which would reverse the voting act and the elimination of policies of discrimination established in the 1960’s. They are concerned that black men and women consistently vote for Democrats. For GOP politicians, the only value of the American public exists in their vote for any candidate with an “R” next to his or her name.

The LGBT community: Homophobia is rampant in the Republican Party. Admittedly, most of it is based on its support of the Christian religious right, but statements by right wing extremists expose the entire party for its failure to support the Constitutional rights of all Americans by supporting equal treatment under our nation’s laws. The right wing has moved our nation backward, while the rest of the world’s developed nations are far more aware and understanding.

The reform of gun laws: Republicans have never met a lobbyist they didn’t support. The NRA is an evil organization which places profits for gun manufacturers and guns sellers ahead of public safety. They lie when they espouse claims that they support the second amendment; the fact is that they have no concern for the Constitution or the American people. Profits matter; innocent people are expendable.

Religion elitism: For Republicans, Christianity is the only religion allowed in our nation. They disavow the first amendment which guarantees the rights of all or our nation’s people to freely practice the religion of their choice, or none at all. It forbids the establishment of a national religion. Republicans would ban all Muslims from our nation, and abolish the first amendment.

Environment: The Republican Party is alone in the world. It denies climate change and supports profits for corporations over the future of the entire world. Once again lobbyists dominate our government in Washington. Drinkable water, land which is amenable to crop growth, and the protection of the air we breathe are in great danger, but they have no concern. They deny scientific fact.

War: Republicans have ‘never met a war they didn’t like.’ Right wing extremists do not believe in diplomacy; they seek brutal, destructive, and unwinnable wars. The two leading GOP candidates would place ‘boots on the ground’ in the Middle East once again, and carpet bomb ISIS if elected. They have no concern for the lives of innocent people or our military. Their goal is to raise the profits of the military industrial complex.

Black deaths caused by law enforcement: All conservatives are in denial of the excessive treatment by law enforcement related to black America. The facts are available, but once again GOP politicians deny the truth. The worst reality of these facts is that the officers involved in the deaths of black Americans are rarely punished.

Education: Lastly, but not without equal importance, is the Republican Party’s denial of the value of education for the future of the United States. Not only do they deny the necessity of affordable education to guarantee the future of our nation’s economy, they seek censorship of the facts or our nation’s history. They no longer want our young men and women to learn about slavery, the holocaust, civil rights, the virtual incarceration of Asian Americans during WWII, or our nation’s involvement in illegal wars to be part of their curriculum.

If you support all of these atrocities, then you are a blind follower of the one party which fails to support the nation created by our founding fathers; you are not an American.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Novels by James Turnage are available on Amazon