Nationwide, there is a deceitful clamor over classified documents – but not all of them, just those held by three exalted Americans – claiming those cases to be alike. They are, in fact, distinctly different – in age, in surroundings and in legal status.

Public clamor can’t disclose the content or anything else about those documents; federal laws prevent such disclosures. The clamorers are just finger pointers. They propose no improvements. They have created yet another weapon for attacking their adversaries. Their hollow message serves only its messengers.

They are the clueless followers of a clueless autocrat, white supremacists and assorted other haters. Here in Maine, they are some of the hobblers of the Party of Lincoln and his first vice president, Mainer Hannibal Hamlin. They were replaced by President Andrew Johnson of Tennessee, who dismantled Reconstruction.

For a longer life, for our improving democracy, please ignore the useless clamor.

Harvey DeVane
Brunswick