It is a dark, dark time

This holiday, I am grieving over the loss of my country and the values for which it once stood.

It is a dark, dark time. The evil and sadism of this country’s administration over the last 12 months have been exhausting and soul-crushing. It’s disheartening, too, to know that that destruction is only going to endure, even increase, for the next three years, if not longer.

In times of trouble, one retreats into their faith for understanding and the values of that faith. I’ve been reminded over the past year of my cherishing of the values that this country once stood for: That all of us are created equal and are deserving of life, liberty, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness; that we have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people; and that we practice and promote kindness, decency, and respect for all people.

I hope that one day we may return as a people to those values.

Stuart Bechman, Simi Valley

Posted on Ventura County Star News