Dear Editor: I have been a registered Democrat for 50 years. I am pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, conservative. The Democratic Party at one time embraced all of these values. Now, however, if you hold these positions, they don’t want you to speak your mind, they don’t want you to march with them on women’s marches. You are vilified and snubbed, only because you have a different opinion than that which the Democratic Party espouses.
Free speech is denied to those who hold these views. Violence is now condoned by the Democratic Party, evidenced by the violent demonstrations in Washington D.C., Berkeley, Calif., and a host of others. Sanctuary cities under the guise of protecting immigrants, shelters criminals, and defends and protects them from law enforcement. Who is protecting the citizens of the U.S. from the criminals who use sanctuary status to shield themselves from prosecution and deportation.
As I was growing up, I remember instances where members of the community ran afoul of the law and were deported. Families were broken apart, but it was not the fault of the government; the individual lawbreakers were the ones at fault.
A citizen who commits a crime and is convicted and sent to prison is responsible for breaking apart his family, not the government. Criminal illegal aliens should face the same laws and the same punishments. If prison time followed by deportation is the result, they have brought it upon themselves, they are the ones responsible for the breakup of a family, not the government.
Many of the positions of the Democratic Party erode family values and the rule of law.
I will be leaving the Democratic Party and registering with a party that shares my views. It is a difficult choice, but the Democrats take your vote for granted, while pandering to potential new voters. Vote with your feet and let them know where you stand. If enough people are courageous enough to do the same, the Democratic Party will see the voters rolls shift and perhaps change their positions.
Catholics are taken for granted, as are African-Americans, Latinos and many more. Make your voice heard.
LAWRENCE LANCUCKI
Maspeth