To the editor: I’m bewildered by Josh Hammer’s column, “Vance is right that Europe’s values are no longer the same as America’s.”
He says that Europe is taking an unlucky flip towards censorship of dissidents. It’s america that’s doing this!
In some elements of the nation, medical doctors can’t discuss candidly to their sufferers about abortion, crucial race idea can’t be mentioned, and books are being banned. Ordering the top of range, fairness and inclusion applications is a blatant assault on free speech.
It’s nearly laughable that Hammer claims that america prizes sovereignty and nationhood whereas “European elites more and more don’t.” Ukraine is a sovereign nation, however america is interceding to offer a part of it away to Russia. We now have our sights set on Greenland and the Panama Canal, and President Trump has said he desires to broaden our territory.
And what’s this finger pointing at European elites? Elon Musk is the richest man on the planet, and Trump is a billionaire. You possibly can’t get way more elite than that.
Stephanie McIntyre, Simi Valley
..
To the editor: In his piece arguing that Vice President JD Vance was appropriate to criticize European leaders throughout his latest speech in Munich, Hammer ignores the horrible toll taken by uber-nationalism within the twentieth century.
After World Struggle II, this nation led efforts to create a brand new and safer worldwide order, one based mostly on the rule of legislation. This has served our pursuits properly for 80 years. Blowing it up can solely serve the pursuits of our adversaries.
Glenna Matthews, Laguna Seashore
..
To the editor: Vance is fallacious.
Europe’s values have been and proceed to be the identical as ours: democratic governance, the rule of legislation and respect for human rights. I consider these values are supported by majorities on each side of the Atlantic.
It’s true that conservative insurance policies on immigration are in resurgence right here and over there. However these are insurance policies, not values.
It’s the U.S. below Trump that has deserted our shared values. And I consider most Europeans reject the egocentric, shortsighted, self-serving insurance policies superior by Trump and Vance.
Slightly than align america with Europe, they make us an outlier and solely weaken us.
Drew Davis, Redondo Seashore
..
To the editor: Hammer is correct — Europe’s values aren’t the identical as ours.
Europe’s “delicate … elite sensitivities” embody not repeating probably the most harmful conflict within the planet’s historical past. Vance and his all-but endorsement of the neo-Nazi German political get together AfD “takes a blowtorch” to these sensitivities.
And this reward will get a platform within the Los Angeles Instances. Why?
Michael Smallberg, Menlo Park, Calif.
