© Provided by The LA TimesDonald Trump waves as he leaves the White House for the final time as president on Jan. 20. (Associated Press)
To the editor: In my view, Jan. 6 was a greater threat to American democracy than 9/11. Those seeking to kidnap or kill Vice President Mike Pence, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and others were only minutes late in being able to reach them when they breached the U.S. Capitol building. ("Relax, Donald - you don't need Facebook to reach your fans online," editorial, May 6)
The insurrection briefly stopped Congress from certifying the presidential election. That this halt was only temporary was the result of quick thinking and courageous action by members of the U.S. Capitol Police Department.
This mob was motivated by Donald Trump's Big Lie that the election was stolen. Through Jan. 6, he continued his clarion call to action - to "stop the steal" - which to the mob meant overturning the election. Repeatedly making this incendiary and false claim of fraud was akin to shouting "fire!" in a crowded theater.
Unless Trump publicly and repeatedly retracts his Big Lie, neither Facebook nor anyone else should provide him with the publicity he craves.
Scott McKenzie, La Cañada Flintridge
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To the editor: I fully agree that social media companies need some form of outside supervision and am surprised and pleased that there seems to be rare consensus in this area.
But the decision by the Facebook Oversight Board to maintain the ban on Trump for at least six more months misses the big picture in another way. As a Republican in opposition to the current administration, I hope Facebook permanently bans Trump and in the process inspires the news media to do the same.
What we Republicans desperately don't want is Trump as our voice, much less our candidate for president. What we do need is "Trumpism," a powerful but flexible idea, to unite us in future elections.
Jack Kaczorowski, Los Angeles
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To the editor: The media continue to give our disgraced ex-president center stage.
The May 6 print edition of The Times had multiple articles devoted to Trump's problems with Facebook and other social media.
If Trump were left alone to "stew in his own juice," the country would be able to more quickly recover from his lies, fantasies and QAnon theories. Enough is enough.
William Farris, Santa Ana
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To the editor: I'm sure all of Trump's supporters realize that since he actually won the election last November and is therefore the legitimate president, he is of course disqualified from running for a third term in 2024.
Mary Rouse, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Many of us must be glad to learn that this proven purveyor of the Big Lie, this irredeemable inciter of the Jan. 6 insurrection, will for now, at least, be unable to spew further falsehoods on Facebook.
It is sad to note, however, that about 74 million of us still have to be protected from democracy-weakening misinformation spread by people like this former president. Fortunately, 81 million American voters saw through this narcissist demagogue and voted in a decent, arguably truth-telling man.
Our republic truly is and will always be a work in progress that needs constant nurturing.
Victor W. Monsura, Garden Grove
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.