Grady Judd’s hyperbole over protest (Voice of the People, March 1, 2026)
Grady Judd's hyperbole and hypocrisy over Minnesota protest
In a YouTube video entitled Worshipping Peacefully [Jan. 20], Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd preached again in a government-issued uniform while in a church. This time, however, he did it while spouting one big lie, one from which anyone who is not a Christian might suffer consequences.
He claimed that in St Paul, Minnesota, worshippers were "attacked by rioters." Not true.
Protesters may have raised their voices. They may have been disruptive, or even confrontational, but attackers they were not. Rioters they were not.
Protesters were there to let Pastor David Eastwood's congregation know about his hypocrisy, being both a church leader while maintaining an ICE job. Their method may not have been acceptable to Judd, but Judd's proselytizing in uniform is also unacceptable, yet no one is arresting him.
If Judd is going to continue to violate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which he found "humorous and entertaining" in 2015, the least he can do is be a good Christian. He needs to stop his lying and his use of hyperbole, as his leader, Donald Trump, does all the time.
Arrogant Grady Judd: You are not above the law. Stop behaving like you are.
Darhlene Zeanwick, Davenport
Voice of the People, Feb. 22, 2026: Polk students' ICE protests aren't courageous
On leadership amid the Epstein fallout
The King of England has shown true leadership for his country by stripping his brother of all royal titles, forcing him to face his wrongdoing. Andrew, arrested now, has refused to admit any association with Epstein when photos show otherwise. It's not only about the young women, which is bad enough, but he's also accused of leaking UK trade information to Epstein when Andrew was UK's trade adviser.
There is also Lord Mandelson, formerly the UK's ambassador to the U.S., now under investigation for handing over government documents to Epstein. Men in other countries are resigning from high office due to their connection with Epstein.
Compare that willingness to face a problem head on with Donald Trump's denials and his attempt to escape a long-standing involvement with Epstein, claiming he barely knew him, when again, photos show otherwise.
Instead of exhibiting leadership, Trump ducks it by trying to take over other countries or start wars with them. His staged distractions put the United States in grave danger.
Wherever he runs to hide, he won't be invisible. We the People, and the world around us, see him for what he isn't. Sooner or later, the truth will catch up with him.
Jean Duhon Hanson, Dundee
Voice of the People, Feb. 15, 2026: Ignoring student loan crisis risks insolvency
Does Trump understand democracy?
A friend who supports President Trump asked me why people still reference his claims about the stolen election when, after all, Trump left Washington on Biden's inauguration day. I guess my friend doesn't care about Trump's false statements between the election of 2020 and the inauguration of 2021.
The tweets, speeches and lawsuits claiming a stolen election, all without evidence, and the call to his base on Jan. 6 to "fight like hell" were non-issues, all because Trump left town when Biden was sworn in.
Perhaps this is how Trump's base feels. National Guardsmen patrol streets; ICE kills two Americans; the DOJ does the president's bidding; and museums stop telling historic truths—things that 15 years ago would have angered nearly all Americans.
But today Trump can do what he wishes so long as he puts everything back in place when he's done.
The razing of democracy takes a while, but then, all at once, it's gone. It's hard to discern the straw that breaks the camel's back.
You can never be sure it's the goal of a ruler until you only see it in your rearview mirror.
Does Trump understand democracy? Is this the leadership we need right now?
Ben Graffam, Lakeland
Voice of the People, Feb. 8, 2026: Grady Judd blaming Alex Pretti for his own killing
Trump's State of the Union claims don't hold up
In his State of the Union Address, President Trump said: "The roaring economy is roaring like never before." [Trump touts 'roaring economy' in speech, Feb. 26.]
I wonder who believes his lies. For example, Trump claimed that he "inherited a nation in crisis" with a "stagnant economy," but not according to the Wall Street Journal [April 12, 2024] and The Economist [Oct. 19, 2024], both reporting that the Biden economy was "the envy of the world."
With many Americans giving the president poor marks for his handling of inflation in recent surveys, Trump continued to blame Democrats for high costs, saying, "You caused that problem." The inflation rate, caused by the pandemic, was down to 3.0%. The inflation rate in the U.S. during 2025, Trump's first year in his second term as president was 2.9%.
The U.S. economy added approximately 2.2 million jobs in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, added to the 3 million jobs created in 2023.
In 2025 under Trump, the number of jobs created dropped to 181,000 for the entire year.
In his speech Trump said, "You caused that problem," blaming the Democrats. We Democrats will gladly take "blame" for the Biden economy, "the envy of the world."
Richard Sutherland, Winter Haven
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This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Grady Judd's hyperbole over protest (Voice, March 1, 2026)
