Dear Editor:

I am responding to a letter addressed to you from Nick Homyak, entitled “A Nation with More Money than God and His Gun”.

I wholeheartedly disagree with Mr. Homyak’s bleak portrayal of the United States. Actually, I was appalled at his false accusations. First, he suggests that “we are a fallen nation.”

We are not a fallen nation. We are not a fallen people.

American exceptionalism is not a “complete hoax and fraud.” Tell the refugee who risks their life on rafts to cross vast oceans to the United States that our values are a “hoax.” Tell the immigrant or Dreamer, immigrants like my parents who settled in Parsippany over twenty years ago, who seek opportunity and hope in a faraway land that the American Dream is a “fraud.” I see American exceptionalism in exceptional Americans; from teachers and educators to law enforcement and first responders, blue-collar workers to small businessmen and women, knowledge-thirsty students to the wise elderly.

I see American exceptionalism in people like Peter Wang. Peter was 15-year-old JROTC cadet who lost his life protecting his fellow classmates in the recent Parkland High School mass shooting, holding the door for students and staff to escape as he was gunned down by the cold-blooded killer. Heroes like Peter make the United States a truly exceptional place. It does Peter and other heroes in these tragic events a disservice to call them “a violent people”, as Mr. Homyak insinuates.

In regard to the “system that benefits [you] not,” how does a system that promotes hard work, innovation, and creativity “undermine humanity’s potential?” There is irrefutable evidence that free markets have dramatically increased the standards of living for the whole world in the past two hundred years. Yes, reforms are necessary to ensure that this system is fair, and corporations must pay their share of taxes to the government, but our economy is strong because of its’ structure and stability.

Democracy relies on our free markets. Free participation in the economy requires free civic participation. If Mr. Homyak advocates for the dissolution of capitalism, he might as well advocate for the dissolution of liberal democracy in the United States.

Our love for our country drives us to fight injustice and promote the well-being of all. Mr. Homyak may have highlighted the challenges we face today, but time and time again, the American people have shown resilience and resolve. “All men are created equal” was not truly realized until 1964, and we still forge towards racial justice and equality. Students no longer feel safe in schools and social mobility is stalling at an alarming rate. Of course, this struggle is nothing new – Americans have struggled since this nations’ founding.

However, today, civic participation is on the rise, with more women, minorities, and young adults running for public office. Students and parents are advocating for sensible gun safety measures, while people of all backgrounds are protecting the rights of immigrants and Dreamers. People feel a sense of active responsibility for their country, whether in the voting booths or on the streets. Our fighting spirit leads us to real change.

In times of adversity, we cannot submit to Mr. Homyak’s pervasive pessimism. We see these problems and we fight for what is right not because America is perfect, but because America is beautiful.

Mr. Homyak suggests we “stop all this god bless America.” I suggest we say “God Bless America” loud and proud. I know I will.

We are not a fallen nation. We are a rising nation, risen by its’ exceptional people.

Czar Alexei Sepe
Lake Parsippany

Dear Editor:

When the right to own a gun like an AR 15 not a hunting rifle becomes more important than Health Care and a Sustainable and clean world then American exceptionalism stands as a complete hoax and fraud.

We are a violent people our nation is not beautiful and we must stop all this god bless america. The Republic is dead there’s no civic virtue as the trash mounts and the waters run dirty.

Political correctness will not bring remedies. We don’t see the stars of heaven, honor our god, respect the dead, ignore the trash. We are a fallen people. War is economy; violence rather than compassion and understanding rein in our system, where the rich steal from the poor. 

Why do I have to pay taxes to such a system that benefits me not, while those of corporate power and riches beyond need evade the system they benefit most from…That is the question and the answer. Nation of thieves. 

Prayers? May God be on our side, no matter the side…The will of God prevails; by simply praying for the victims? Brings to mind Abraham Lincoln’s, Meditation on the Divine Will speech September 1862 in part below:

In great contests each party claims to act in accordance with the will of God. Both may be, and one must be, wrong. God cannot be for and against the same thing at the same time..Abe Lincoln..

What could possibility be god’s purpose here; or the need for prayer emanating from congress? What side have they taken! The side of the gun, Not god or real human values, but the good-guy-with-the gun? where does that leave us? 

The fight against socialism is the theft of all humanity and the keeper of debt and economic slavery. What is democracy if not justice, equality, and education producing citizens of discipline ,concern and caring?

WE ARE A FALLEN NATION. The evidence is before our eyes everyday. A nation that promotes safety & security, but not Health Care, Housing, Environment, Ecology, is a failure. Capitalism and its pursuit of profit undermines humanity’s potential everyday. it has outlived its purpose. Corporations are not people because they are against humanity and democracy…how long can we ignore the evidence? Law & Order does not come from a barrel of a gun…power does. Guns are instruments of dominance over nature, and other men. Guns are the problem our way of life have made them so. We have no respect for real life, and recognize only wealth and power over others. Take a look around America is full of trash, corporate trash and people who ignore it. America is not beautiful or exceptional only blind..Waste more want more. I am not my brothers keeper,aka Christian value nation; hoax. If its not good for everyone it’s not really good at all.

Nick Homyak
Lake Hiawatha

Dear Editor:

We have had far too many moments of silence since Sandy Hook. Our children and community deserve real action to stop the epidemic of gun violence in our country. We’re not alone and we’re not helpless. There are many seemingly simple, yet powerful things we can do today!

More and more of our neighbors are uniting to bring the change we need. The phones in Congress are ringing off the hook with calls for commonsense gun reform, peaceful rallies are growing in numbers in cities across the country, and families and friends are gathering together in their own living rooms to talk about bringing violence prevention programs to their schools. The movement is growing and we must keep growing it.

There is reason to have hope that we can prevent gun violence before it happens through sensible gun safety laws and programs in our schools and communities that help us identify the signs and signals before a shooting happens and intervene.

To keep this hope alive and bring the change we need, I am asking everyone to take two simple actions today. First, call your member of Congress today and ask that he or she support gun violence prevention legislation to keep guns out of dangerous hands. Secondly, Make the Promise at www.sandyhookpromise.org and help bring Sandy Hook Promise’s no-cost, violence prevention programs to our schools and community.

Georgine La Serna – Maiella