Letter: Democrats actions are political pandering

The Gazette's editorial calling on Iowa Republican leaders to elevate principle over partisanship with regard to criticizing Donald Trump's recent remarks is warranted ('Iowa Republicans must stand on principle, not partisanship,” Aug. 4). I just wish The Gazette itself would put principle above partisanship.

Where is an editorial calling on Iowa Democratic leaders to disavow having the mother of Michael Brown appear on stage at the Democratic Convention? Her son, according to a county grand jury and a Department of Justice investigation, tried to kill a police officer by taking the officer's gun and shooting the officer. After the recent murders of so many police, having her on the stage was in bad taste.

Also, every four years Democrats vying for the presidency make the pilgrimage to Al Sharpton to receive his blessing. Sharpton is a man who has referred to Jews as 'bloodsuckers” because they had businesses in black neighborhoods, and who falsely accused a white assistant district attorney, Steven Pagones, of the assault and rape of a black teenager named Tawana Brawley. Sharpton lost a tort suit concerning this travesty.

I understand why the Democratic candidates make the pilgrimage. With only 40 percent of whites likely to vote Democratic, that deficit must be made up with an overwhelming black vote. Pandering and practicing identity politics achieves that.

But this recovering Democrat and longtime independent see hypocrisy in the editorial board's silence over Democrats allowing politics to trump principle.

Kurt Maas

Coggon