Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I refer to the following extract from a letter from Ms. Dawn Dale, published in your Jan. 19 edition: “… should be supporting [the president], because that is what our Constitution calls for …”. 

No, Ms. Dale, there is no Article or Amendment in the Constitution of the United States of America that contains a requirement for a citizen to “support” the president. Indeed, to the contrary, the First Amendment enshrines for all persons, the guarantee of free speech, and thereby the freedom to criticize public officials, including the president, without fear of official retaliation.

In fact, if there were a constitutional requirement such as Ms. Dale envisions, then, judging by her communications to this newspaper, she herself would have been guilty of severely unconstitutional behavior for the past eight years.

David Evans

Gloucester Point, Va. ...