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I am sick of the far left’s antics. This crowd has really gone off the deep end. They swear all the time and think burning Teslas is cool. I thought they cared about the environment (guess not). Real Americans support President Donald Trump since he is actually saving this country from ruin; he’s a busy man and works very hard. When President Barack Obama played golf, liberals didn’t care, but when President Trump unwinds on the golf course, the left flies into a rage. These people are outta their minds.

Mark Twain said, “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” There is always much to support and love about our country. At the same time we have the most dishonest, ignorant, corrupt, and incompetent president that our nation has ever seen. This point doesn’t need to be argued as POTUS supplies proof of this every single day. Feeble attempts to justify his actions rely on distraction, denial and what-about-isms. Some of the more extravagant explanations of why Donald Trump behaves in such strange ways describes him as a genius playing four dimensional chess. Other pundits have more correctly observed that it is closer to the truth to describe him as putting the chess pieces in his mouth.

By U.S. SEN. EDWARD J. MARKEY

Western Massachusetts farmers are used to facing and overcoming challenges — from late frosts and damaging storms to droughts and soil erosion, and more. What they’re not accustomed to is the president of the United States standing in their way of earning a living and bolstering our local economies.

By DRS. MATTHEW KANE and ANN MARKES

As most people are aware, USAID has been one of the agencies that have been most impacted by the cuts of President Donald Trump. Trump said that USAID was run by “radical lunatics.” Elon Musk, the head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, called USAID “a criminal and evil organization” whose “time to die” has arrived. Although USAID is not perfect (no organization is), this is at a minimum a huge distortion of their work. USAID’s contribution to easing suffering and helping the needy has been amazing and recognized around the world.

When I was five and got my own library card, I enjoyed being entrusted with grown-up responsibility as much as I enjoyed the “kerchunk” sound of the machine checking out my book. I didn’t know this was my introduction to civic engagement.

I gave this speech to a gathering of over 300 citizens at Memorial Park in Orange this past Saturday. People of all ages, veterans, teachers, workers, retirees, disabled and the able, gather each Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon to stand out against tyranny and for the American people.

By SUSAN WORGAFTIK

In Al Norman’s April 2 column [”The growing crowd next door”], the politics of fear were in full display. His discussion of the changes in zoning to accommodate the state’s ADU law, presented some truly alarming statements and assumptions.

Congratulations to columnist Jon Huer (”How liberty itself killed liberalism in America,” Recorder, March 5), who has once again shown us all how smart he is, and how the America we now find ourselves in is an expected outcome given our history. If we had only listened to him all these years, then … what?

To my fellow working people of Franklin County who voted for and have been supporting President Donald Trump — please take a moment and reflect on what is happening to our country. Trump just enacted a massive tax increase on working Americans. Tariffs are not paid by countries, they are paid by consumers with the money going directly to the U.S. Treasury. At the same time, the president is allowing a billionaire to make equally massive and destructive cuts to programs that we all rely on. I’m talking about farms, schools, health care, necessities for a functioning society that are available to all Americans, not just the wealthy, because of our tax dollars.

By DAVID PARRELLA

It was 1969 and a lot of us who were college freshmen that year spent a lot of time listening to the White Album by the Beatles. That one song in two versions kept replaying in my head.

By TRYSTAN GREIST

I hope the City Council passes their draft ordinance protecting gender-affirming care for transgender people and a related trans sanctuary resolution as quickly as possible. Why? Because the situation for trans folks in parts of the country is dire. Texas is creating a registry of transgender individuals. We fear that camps are next. They’ve already banned gender-affirming care for youth and made it illegal for parents to raise trans kids. It’s very scary, and trans parents are looking for safe places to move. Other states are following suit with similar forms of persecution.

Picture a state. Any state. Now picture the state having endured a weather disaster. A tornado, flooding, fires, earthquake. Now picture the state asking for federal assistance in the tone of Ben Stein from Ferris Bueller: FEMA? FEMA? FEMA? Anyone?

Chip Ainsworth is correct in his March 22 “Keeping Score” column that pickleball is a sport that “even a rhinoceros could play.” But one of its positives is that it’s a great participatory sport that can be, and is, played by many different species.

In response to Nelson Schiffrett’s April 2 letter, “Lead and we will follow,” go to Jessica Craven’s “Chop Wood, Carry Water” website, which is published every day with a list of things that one can do to counteract the Trump administration’s antics. The list includes letters to write, people to call and what to say, petitions to sign and information about public demonstrations. It is very uplifting and inspiring to read these posts and take some small action. It has improved my mental health. And today’s news gives me heart that Schiffett and I are not alone. The tide is just beginning to turn!

By MICHELLE SCHUTT

April is National Community College Month and a great time to reflect on what makes GCC and all community colleges so special.

By ANDREW MOREHOUSE and CHARLOTTE BONEY

The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts recently received troubling news: the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has canceled a portion of its food deliveries through August — an estimated $440,000 worth of food we were counting on. While this represents only 1% of our total distribution last year, it’s a serious shortfall that will force us to draw on emergency reserves to purchase food. Even more concerning are the proposed federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These cuts would deepen food insecurity across western Massachusetts and further strain our already overburdened food assistance network.

By JON HUER

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry, a political hothead from Virginia, declared: “Give me liberty or give me death!” and history gave America its liberty and death. One could not be given without the other.

By MIKE HANNIGAN

The wanton destructiveness of unelected, unconfirmed Elon Musk and his dodgy minions will result in no savings to the federal government, only long-term damage. Firing Pentagon employees so more can be spent on drones doesn’t make our country safer; it merely enriches certain favored defense contractors at the expense of veterans and other workers.