DEAR EDITOR:

“Are you willing to fight for a person you don’t know as much as you’re willing to fight for yourself?”

I get emotional when I read this quote. It’s a notion at once revolutionary, yet fundamental, emblematic of humanity at its absolute best. These are the words of Bernie Sanders, and they speak to the very heart of what his campaign is all about.

Joe Biden, on the other hand, is willing to literally fight voters, instead of fighting for them.

At a March 10 campaign stop in Michigan, Biden got into a confrontation with a Detroit auto worker. He remarked that the worker was “full of s–t,” and threatened to slap the man in the face over his views on gun control.

For a party that seeks to frame itself as the alternative to Trumpism, threatening to physically assault a potential voter is hardly a good look.

In Biden’s defense, there’s a strong possibility that he may no longer be in full control over his faculties. Throughout his campaign, the former VP has exhibited alarming signs of mental decline. In February, he told voters he was a “candidate for the United States Senate,” and that if they didn’t like him, they could “vote for the other Biden.” Earlier this month he stumbled over the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, all men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.” He also repeatedly forgets the name of his former boss, despite his tenure with Obama being virtually his only asset as a candidate.

To be clear, I’m not in the habit of demeaning people over their mental health. However, I do believe that exhibiting obvious signs of dementia should be disqualifying for a presidential candidate. Even if Biden is somehow in pristine mental condition, that leaves him with a lot of explaining to do for his now multiple displays of aggression against voters.

At the end of the day, Joe Biden has nothing to offer the American people beyond simple name recognition. He voted for the war in Iraq. He’s been an advocate of cutting social security. He has a history of supporting racial segregation, and is a friend to Republican warmonger, Dick Cheney.

We need a leader who inspires voters. Who abandons the failed politics of the past, and is willing to reach toward new heights. Our nation’s future is at stake, and indeed its very soul.

I want a leader who will fight for me, harder than he fights for himself. That’s why I’m supporting Bernie Sanders for president, and I sincerely hope you will too.

AARON DUNBAR

Lowellville