Innocent until proven guilty

One of the fundamental principles of our justice system is that a defendant is “innocent until proven guilty.” This applies to everyone, including Donald J. Trump. He has been charged with encouraging the “out of control” protest that occurred on Jan. 6, 2021. His indictment is not for promoting an “insurrection.” The prosecutor, Jack Smith, decided that was not valid.

Colorado and Maine are trying to keep Trump off the ballot. The U. S. Supreme Court will overrule those two states because Trump has not been charged with insurrection and he is innocent until convicted in a court of law! 

What a waste time caused by TDS, Trump derangement syndrome!

— Mitchell Pezdek
Salisbury

Veteran supports Black national anthem

There has been much uproar online about the Black National Anthem performed at the Super Bowl. 

My late dad, who was also my hero, was a WWII Navy combat vet in the SouthPacific at age 19. I was also in the U.S. Navy, and at sea at 19.  He fought, and I proudly served, never fighting against African Americans. They, along with Hispanics, Jews, etc., were our shipmates and our friends at sea. 

This anthem is nothing to get upset over. Look at the last three years of riots, looting and ripping down statues. Those acts are something to be very upset over! 

— Fred Moore
Salisbury

Moore is a Vietnam-era Navy veteran

Prior state of federal office should be a presidential requirement

This is what I understand about the Supreme Court’s debating Colorado’s “banning” D.T. from being on the ballot in their state due to “insurrection” charges.

So, when the Constitution was written, no one ever considered that a person, who has never held any office, (state or federal), would run for president and win. That is what Donald Trump did. 

So, since that happened, they are trying to determine if Colorado can exempt Donald Trump from the ballot because of the insurrection charges. He has been charged but not tried. 

My thinking on that is that he got away with it the first time because no one has ever been a president of the U.S. who never held an office prior to being elected. It has to do with the way the Constitution was written that uses the term “officer” in Article 3, I believe. 

So, it appears that all candidates for president of the U.S. should be vetted to assure they have held an “office” in government prior to the presidential election, so that they can be held accountable for a charge of “insurrection.” 

Now, since D.T. has never held an “office” (even now as a past president he has still not held an “office”), he should be disqualified from running on that basis alone. 

— Steven Arey
Salisbury