In her June 9 letter, Mary Jane Newell frets about what is wrong with America and adopts the Trumpian approach of vague generalities and outright untruths:

She says a “course in civics doesn’t appear to be available; world history is a joke.” Fact: Maine mandates education in four social studies disciplines — civics and government, economics, geography and history. And what is so funny about world history?

She remembers saluting the flag and hearing a veteran talk about Pearl Harbor in her school, implying that that doesn’t happen anymore. Fact: Students still recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school, and I have spoken to students many times about my tour in Vietnam as an Army field artillery officer.

She bemoans the lack of prayer in school. Fact: The First Amendment to the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, which also guarantees freedom from religion.

She says, “Children are brainwashed only in terms of what the government will do for them; i.e. Bernie Sanders and his free everything.” Fact: Newell knows nothing about school curricula. A victim of media brainwashing herself, she should stop watching Fox non-News.

Like other far right-wingers who indulge in simplistic name-calling rather than thoughtful criticism, she blames the “liberal news media.” Fact: The New York Times uncovered Bill and Hillary Clinton’s real estate problems back in Arkansas, as well as her terribly misguided handling of emails as Secretary of State. And The Washington Post has been hammering both of them on its editorial page.

Dave Griffiths, Mechanic Falls

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