To the Editor:

Despite the disingenuous calls to ‘move on” and “get over” the horrifying events of January 6, 2021 at our Nation’s Capitol, we cannot – and must not – ever forget the deadly assault on our democratic process and those who helped cause it.

The voters must now complete the work that the Senate has so shamefully failed to do. Never again should Donald Trump - nor any of his Senate or Congressional allies who failed to vote for impeachment or bar him from holding future office - deserve to be elected.

Without accountability, healing will be difficult or impossible. Voting is the way we ensure accountability for grievous crimes committed against the people of the United States. To tolerate representatives that deny, ignore, or belittle the link between signals they send and anti-democratic actions taken by terroristic groups is to invite a slide toward authoritarianism.

We must be ever vigilant in scrutinizing the actions of our elected representatives. We must be hyper-aware of any indications that they are prone to trade service to the people for fealty to power-hungry tyrants. When we see these flaws in our representatives, we must vote them out of office. Corporations must cease making campaign contributions to them. There is simply too much at stake.

Jon R. Montan, Jr.

Canton