This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

In the Tribune last week, a Utah delegate, on her way into the Republican National Convention said: "You've got a super volatile environment, you see on the news every day now there are cop shootings everywhere all over the country."

This is simply not true. There were two tragic incidents, in Dallas and Baton Rouge, but it shows the tendency among Republicans to catastrophize, using selective perception, seeing things only one way, thinking their beliefs are valid despite the lack of real evidence.

They're treating Hillary Clinton this way as well, suggesting a single event signifies a perpetual pattern. Where was the outrage directed at Colin Powell when there were 60 deaths in attacks on 13 embassies when George W. Bush was president? We have two candidates with very clear records.

The charlatan and huckster Donald Trump's duplicity, his lying about whether he lied or not, his misogynistic, racist statements and actions as well as his bankruptcies and disingenuous business ventures are all well documented. BTW, where are his tax returns?

Clinton also has a clear record of public service, working tirelessly for women's rights and human rights around the world. In the Senate, 68 percent of her bills had Republican sponsors. She's supported a livable wage, fixing our infrastructure, equal pay for women, free and fair elections, ending corporate tax evasion, clean drinking water and disaster relief, as well as supporting veterans, police, teachers and firefighters, most of which were blocked by the Republicans.

Trump may be well meaning and basically good (his children are likable enough), but his dystopian fantasy that he ended the convention with has no place in a strong multicultural America.

John Porcher

Salt Lake City