Where I Stand:

America needs its patriots — now!

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John Locher / AP

In this Nov. 8, 2020, photo supporters of President Donald Trump protest the election outside of the Clark County Election Department in North Las Vegas.

Sun, Nov 15, 2020 (2 a.m.)

America needs its patriots. Today.

This past week the nation honored those who have served our country in uniform. It was a national holiday, a solemn day and one that every citizen should reflect on as we think about the cost in lives lost and forever changed that the United States has endured to keep us free and safe.

Veterans Day has recognized our heroes this way since the first recognition of Armistice Day, which commemorated the end of World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. This sacred day has become when we think about those who have served and served our country well — oftentimes giving that last full measure.

This past week I was thinking about our latest war, one that threatens to take more American lives before it is over than all our wars combined — unless our patriots step up.

Think about men like Patrick Henry, who told his countrymen before we were a country and the British before they challenged our resolve, “Give me liberty or give me death.”

And think about young Nathan Hale, who at 21 years of age was hanged by the British as an American spy. He regretted, famously, that he had only one life to give in service to his country.

Now think about what each of us can do to save our country and our countrymen from the scourge of COVID-19.

I am talking specifically to the 71,000,000 Americans who this month voted to reelect President Donald Trump. In my view, you may be our last best hope to stop the carnage that almost every medical expert warns will most assuredly come.

Why Trump voters?

Because it has become clear to me, finally, after four years of failing to understand the world in which our president and his followers live, that it doesn’t matter what the rest of the world thinks, or knows. What matters is what Trump tells his people and what they choose to believe and in turn, tell him.

And one point has been made abundantly clear. Trump says he is all in for his people.

Assuming that is true, only Americans who voted for Trump — his people — have a chance to persuade him to do what’s right to stop COVID-19 in its tracks. It matters not whether it is a hoax or whether it is real because right now, it is killing more Americans than ever.

Right now, today, more of us are getting sick than ever. And more of us are infecting our friends, loved ones and neighbors than ever. And the numbers of infections are growing at an ever-increasing rate.

All this is happening while Trump is licking his wounds in the White House. He is fiddling around while Americans are dying.

We need patriots. While I have never understood the alternative world in which Trump voters have to live in order to support him, I have never questioned the patriotism and love of country that has guided — or misguided — them.

I think his people are the only Americans to whom Trump will pay attention. At this point, it almost doesn’t matter whether he sulks for a few more days — except if you care about national security and the chess moves being made by our enemies while we dither — but it does matter in the war against the coronavirus.

Every day we do nothing — which is what the Trump administration has been doing for far too long — is another day that the virus gets the upper hand on America’s health. And the body count will continue unless our patriots step up — like Patrick Henry or Nathan Hale did.

President Trump can stay in his room until Jan. 20 for all I care, but what each of you — his people — must insist on is that he appoint the president-elect to act in his stead —as it relates to the coronavirus — for the remainder of his term.

Joe Biden has a plan, he has a task force that will be guided by the science of health and he has the capacity to lead this nation for the next two crucial months and beyond. He can help save us and he can do it as part of Trump’s legacy.

Trump can do a very good thing by asking Biden to step up to save American lives. But he won’t go there unless his patriots ask him to do so.

Paraphrasing that old typing phrase, “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.”

What say you, Trump voters? Your country needs your help.

Brian Greenspun is editor, publisher and owner of the Sun.

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