A sign of hope ... letters to the editor in a very red area ... Springfield, Missouri
Letters to the Editor: Democracy being eroded in Washington, D.C., and Jefferson City
America is for everyone, Sen. Schmitt
On Sept. 2, Missouri GOP Sen. Eric Schmitt spoke at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington, D.C. I haven't heard much commentary about this speech, but I found it alarming. You can hear the entire address by googling it. Schmitt makes many valid points, but in my opinion, he twists logic, makes generalizations that rely on vague examples, and claims to support freedom of speech and other rights while seeking to deny them to others.
I could argue against much of what he said, but at the crux is his vision of what makes America, American. He quotes Bill Clinton once saying that America is a promise, not a place, which Schmitt denies. I believe that with all my heart. Our founding fathers had personal flaws and committed bad deeds, but they created a document that enshrined an ideal for which we can strive. Schmitt states that America is not for everybody. I disagree. If it isn't for everyone, it isn't for anyone.
and several more
https://www.news-leader.com/story/opinion/readers/2025/09/12/letters-to-editor-concern-for-american-democracy-missouri-washington/86086238007/