West Babylon, L.I.: If we are concerned about the capture of our institutions to ideological litmus tests from the left and right, the worst thing we can do is self-censor to improve our reputation. If we’re concerned about political violence eroding the democratic process, the worst thing we can do is act like our words and actions don’t contribute to the problem.

If we support separate and coequal branches of government, the worst thing we can do is willingly cede those powers when our “side” is in charge. If we’re concerned about the lack of economic competitiveness, the worst thing we can do is grant the government unprecedented control over the private sector while drowning us in debt to fund pet projects and weakening the value of the dollar. If we’re concerned about the greatest threat to world peace since the start of this century, the worst thing we can do is lie to our fellow citizens, saying a combination of everything is our concern, nothing is our concern, everything can be solved immediately, and we can fund everything we want to fund all at once.

If we want strong families and communities centered on a moral reawakening, the worst thing we can do is listen to who is right rather than what is right — to pay lip service to good moral values while ignoring them when it suits our partisan or personal needs. The power of all of us together is a force that can captivate and influence the minority, many of whom hold positions of power, who treat our country as a reality television show. Who will stand and be counted? Greg DeLapi

Kew Gardens: What will it take to stop President Trump and his destruction of our democracy? Millions spent on constructing a larger ballroom, gilding the Oval Office, arresting citizens, pardoning criminals for his own gains and trying to prosecute individuals who might challenge him. This is only the beginning, and with all of this, the Republicans are taking away any assistance Americans might need. Between........

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