To the editor:
While I very much appreciate Virginia Buckingham’s commitment to local journalism, and the role that she plays in bringing the Marblehead Current to us each week (I am a regular reader and view the Current as a quality news source and publication), I respectfully and strongly disagree with the conclusion that she reached in her column last week regarding the film “Civil War” (“Everything will be okay”: Civil War nonsense). I saw the film (it is showing at the Warwick) and like Buckingham found it deeply disturbing, but for fundamentally different reasons.
The film presents a horrifying but very realistic depiction of the human suffering that would result from a civil war in this country, one that in the film’s storyline stems from a U.S. president undermining the Constitution in order to stay in office for a third term. Buckingham argues that such a scenario is “paranoid thinking” as regards former President Donald Trump — I could not disagree more. Should Trump be elected to a second term, he has given, through word and deed, every reason for Americans to believe that he would seek to undermine our nation’s Constitution in order to stay in office beyond what the Constitution allows (as his entire reason for wanting to serve again as president is to obtain immunity from federal prosecution and stay out of prison indefinitely for the many serious crimes he has been charged with). Anyone who doubts that he and his supporters would turn to violence to achieve political objectives is ignoring reality — as they have already demonstrated a willingness to do just that.
I had the privilege of growing up in a constitutional republic. I want my four children and step-children, and their children, to have that same opportunity.
I encourage people to see the film and judge for yourself — and if the future that it portends shocks and concerns you as much as it does me, get out and vote for Joe Biden and urge all of your friends and family around the country to do the same.
Sincerely,
Angus G. McQuilken
Ticehurst Lane
