Dear Editor,

We have lost our standing with the international community as a beacon for democracy and human rights. The following examples are a chilling reminder of how fragile a democracy truly is.

1.  the separation of children from their parents while these families are seeking asylum at our borders.

2.  Trump’s continued criticism of our democratic western allies while he praises autocrats from around the world (Putin, Kim Jong Un, Erdogan, Xi Jinping, etc.).

3.  Trump’s continued criticism of NATO and the EU. These entities are a bulwark against Russian encroachment on the West.

4.  Trump’s continued criticism of our democratic institutions such as the judiciary, the intelligence community, the media, and the Justice Department. These institutions are the very underpinnings of our democracy.

As Americans we should be extremely concerned about events that have occurred under this president.  If we are not vigilant, we could lose the fundamental rights that are guaranteed in our Constitution.

Rene Payne

Stanford