Leonard Pitts’ column of May 11, “Will there be Blood?,” reminded me of an experience I had many years ago in Venezuela. It was November 1976 and I was visiting our office in Caracas during the U.S. election week. Jimmy Carter won the presidency.

The morning after the vote, the local general manager came into my office, closed the door and with a worried look on his face asked, “Will it be safe for you to go home?”

I was stunned. How could he even pose such a question? I’m afraid that I was rather patronizing when I responded by assuring him that in America, “we do things in a civilized manner.”

Sure, the debates are spirited and we spend obscene amounts of money advertising opposing viewpoints (in a gentlemanly way) but, in the end, the loser congratulates the winner, we all sing “Kumbaya” and then everyone rallies behind our newly “democratically” elected leader. “My country, right or wrong!” Eduardo was not convinced.

And, today, I may not be as convinced, either. If he who shall remain nameless succeeds in building his wall, it may serve as much to keep the people from fleeing as it would to keep the druggies, muggers and rapists out. The times, they are a-changin.’

Stacy Stevens

Yarmouth

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