By Elaine Redman, Hamilton
A few weeks ago I saw in the Missoulian the guest column by Marty Essen, “The Cult of Republicanism.” I was so angered by what he had to say I thought about writing a response but was too busy trying to earn a living and I never got around to it. Then a few weeks later there it was again in the Bitterroot Star. Got me thinking again but still busy and did nothing but this morning when I finally got around to reading yesterday’s Ravalli Republic there it was again. This time it was just too much and I have to respond. This is the response I have been running around in my head since I saw the article the first time.
The idea that the Republicans are a cult is so far off track it is ridiculous. Most Republicans I know are so busy trying to earn a living, pay our taxes and make enough to raise our families on, they are the farthest thing from a cult. What we are is the Silent Majority and I am a proud member of that organization. We are not the ones wanting to kill all the babies in a mother’s womb that they don’t want to take the responsibility to give birth to. There are so many people who for one reason or another are unable to become pregnant but would love to take an unwanted baby and love and give it a good life but the Democrats would rather abort them and use the body parts for profit. This is a cult.
There are then the Democrats who encourage all the people who don’t feel like working, or do go on to have their babies and then collect welfare and live off the hardworking people who are taking care of their responsibilities, and hope they will vote for them again so the free ride will continue.
Well, we people who are working hard every day got fed up. We are the ones who stepped up on election day and elected Donald J. Trump because he promised to make some changes, bring back jobs, lower taxes, fix the health care system and stop the way things have been going downhill in the last several years. It wasn’t Russia who elected President Trump. It was us. We are the Silent Majority and we spoke out strongly on Election Day.
Most of my family work in service-related occupations. I have been an engraver in my small business for 49 years and continue to work five days a week at age 81 and have no plans to retire as long as my health stays good. I voted for President Trump and will vote only for people who are running to stand beside him in future elections. I am one of the Silent Majority. My husband is a barber. He has been cutting hair since 1953, 64 years. He believes the same way I do and is also a member of the Silent Majority. My three children also work in service-type businesses. Two own their own businesses and one is a heavy equipment mechanic. We all work very hard, pay our taxes and take care of our own. My grown grandchildren all work very hard raising their families and taking care of themselves. We have no one in our family who is taking advantage of the system and we are all proud of who we are and what we do to take care of ourselves. We are all members of the Silent Majority. We don’t go out and march and start riots, destroy property and yell and scream profanities and wear body part hats while protesting. We quietly go about our business working, helping in our community, taking care of our own and voting for people who only want to make our lives better.
I believe God is in our lives and that people should be able to worship and have their beliefs the way they want and not try and take all things pertaining to God out of our country like the Democrats are trying to do. I believe Donald J. Trump gave up his comfortable life to try and bring back some sanity to this country and his main purpose in life is to help us have a safe and prosperous country where we can live our lives and take care of our own. He and his amazing family have dedicated their lives to make life better for all people who are willing to work, follow their dreams and take care of their own. It is so sad to see so many people try and stop the good things he wants to accomplish. Are they afraid they will be able to get a job and be able to take care of their responsibilities? The Establishment is afraid their gravy train will come to a halt, and they will have to actually work at a real job to make a living. We need term limits in Congress and they should have to use the same health care as the citizens of this country.
I am not the member of a cult. I am a member of the Republican Conservative Silent Majority and I think you, Mr. Essen, will be shown in future elections just how many of us there are and we will all be voting to stand with President Trump and make this United States the best country in the world, and we will do it peacefully and quietly and deliberately while believing in God, love of family, hard work, responsibility, freedom and a better life for all.
Dan Hutchinson says
I read Elaine Redman’s opinion piece and tried to understand how she could come to the conclusion that she was a member of a “Silent Majority”? She seemed to be expressing her opinion about all subjects and may have included some particle of truth in her statement But Silent, she seems to not be.
The recent electoral affair she likes to refer to was far from a ‘Free and Fair Election’, the investment of six million dollars that was declared, may mask the amount of cash that probably changed hands before the polls opened.
The fact that 90 million registered voters failed to participate, seems to reflect the growing suspicion among citizens of this nation that the entire affair seems like a reality show made for TV. People were not turned off by the Democrats urge to eradicate all of the unborn, that remains an affair that people can decide on their own, even if some disagree. They were totaly disgusted with the desire expressed by the GOP to auction off all public lands the Federal Government holds, but that seems to be a powerful topic of discussion. I heard from many who decided they would sit this one out, that they found both sides of the Two Party System to be somewhat reprehensible to all but those who invest massive amounts of cash in the campaign coffers of both sides.
The Silent Majority are the ones who could put even a third party candidate into office, they are the ones who think the present methods of selecting candidates is a commodity with different brokers. The election returns indicate that almost as many people skipped the last election and a few before that, as the party faithful of both GOP and Dems. This group of silent Americans seem to be just waiting for someone who can represent average Americans, not just the investor class. After all, Investors like to see positive returns when they invest millions of dollars, but
Voters would like to see someone represent the average voter.
No, the silent majority are not either party’s blindly faithful, they are average Americans who feel the electoral system has let them down.