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Comment by omilu | Hacker News Reader

>>>Trump used Twitter to criticize civil rights hero, Representative John Lewis

John Lewis is a hero, but someone in his position calling the president illegitimate is irresponsible and destructive. You can't ignore all the horrific things trump says and does, but bottom line is he won the election.

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John Lewis is a hero for what he did in 1965, but now is also an elected official for many years. It's totally fair to criticize or discuss his work and results -- we're not North Korea...

With the controversy surrounding Trump's ties to Russia and possible hacking activity by Russia during the election, I can understand why some people would view Trump's presidency as illegitimate. Lewis happens to be one of those people and was simply asked his opinion during an interview. It would be surprising if know one had expressed the view that he did. Given that I don't see how what he said could be controversial, irresponsible or destructive.

If you consider Trump illegitimate, you might be tempted to use force to remove him from office. In the extreme case, someone psychologically instable could feel morally obligated to assassinate Trump.

Thousands of people, if not more, felt Obama was illegitimate, and the Republicans certainly pandered to that crowd by embracing the Tea Party and using quasi-revolutionary rhetoric in their campaigning against him.

In their case, it was considered (or treated like) a moral duty to question the legitimacy of a sitting President... Why is it suddenly wrong for the other side to do the same?

Someone may do that. That happens to every other president, legitimate or otherwise. But the very idea that we quash criticism of an elected official, simply because crazy people exist, is pretty much the opposite of a free Republic.

It's perfectly fine to criticize trump. But to say he's illegitimate when you're a high ranking, respected senator, with a huge audience is crossing the line in my opinion. If Hillary won, and Paul Ryan said she was illegitimate because the DNC cheated Bernie, and gave her answers to debate questions etc... The public outrage directed at Ryan would be insane, he'd probably be removed from office.

Lewis has the right to criticize Trump.

And Trump has the right to criticize Lewis back.

People who are trying to censor Trump are acting like Fascists.

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