Fiona Hill’s congressional appearance on Nov. 21 was impressive on multiple levels. Among other things, she succeeded in being nonpartisan in her testimony.
Hill’s role in the NSC has given her first-hand knowledge that Russia alone interfered in the 2016 presidential elections. She specifically mentioned that Ukraine did not interfere in those elections, but the Russian intelligence agencies would like us to believe otherwise. She pointed out the harm that some Republicans were doing by stating or inferring that perhaps the Ukrainian government was somehow involved in meddling in our politics.
We need to take Russian meddling seriously, not just for the 2020 elections, but also as a way of returning a greater degree of respect and civility into our political discourse.
The civil servants who were witnesses at the recent impeachment inquiry hearings showed me that our government functions because of the nonpartisan and dedicated nature of our government workers. They literally put the “civil” in civil servants.
We can disagree on politics, policy and party in this country without the lies and slander. That change needs to come from all of us, not just our politicians. Among other things, this means we need to be respectful of people who hold political viewpoints different from our own. Otherwise, we are doing exactly what Hill warned us about: spreading the divisive propaganda that Russia is using to further divide the country and delegitimize our elections.
JAMES FIESEHER
Dover