A 98 year 0ld WW II Veteran Comments / Dr. Peter S. Pierro, EdD

My mother and father were immigrants and devout Americans. During World War II, my sister worked in an airplane production factory; I was in the US Navy; my three brothers were in the US Army. We took military oaths to defend our country with our lives – oaths must be kept. We were all on active overseas duty when the war ended. My brother in the infantry helped liberate German concentration camps. The American people saw us and our military comrades as patriotic heroes – never as “losers” or “suckers”.             

Three “people were above the Law” – Benito Mussolini in Italy; Adolph Hitler in Germany; and Emperor Hirohito in Japan. Two were elected to office and stayed on as Dictators. The third was similar to King George III who our forefathers defeated in the Revolutionary War. Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, stated that if you repeat a lie enough times or tell a BIG Lie, people will believe that it’s the truth.         

Our Constitution gives the defendant the right to a speedy trial and the right to be a witness. The defendant decides whether or not to be a witness. Mr. Trump made the decision not to testify in his trial and now he repeats a BIG Lie.         

A peaceful change of office is a cherished tradition. It was tested during the 2000 election when the United States Supreme Court in a controversial decision made George Bush our president. The “loser”, Al Gore, fulfilled his duty, saying, “. . . while I strongly disagree with the court’s decision, I accept it.”         

I visited the Capitol of the United States and the only word that describes my feelings there is Reverence.  I watched every minute of the January 6, 2020 attack - beginning to end. What I saw was Desecration. Our Capitol is a temple; the soul of our nation. This mob attacked another tradition, Free Election, that has been fought for and died for by millions of American patriots.

I’m speaking now because it’s still my duty to protect my country. My work is not done – and neither is yours. Our real dangers are coming from within our country as they were in Germany in 1933. We must defend our democracy from the people who think their party and they, personally, are more important than their allegiance to their country.