Republicans cruel attacks on the President's son Hunter Biden have backfired!

 Echo opinion letters published in the New York Times

Republicans created a wrong minded brouhaha about Hunter Biden who is recovering from addiction illness and not running for- and never has run for- any political office.

Dear Editor:  President Biden lost his first wife and daughter in a car accident. He lost his son Beau to brain cancer. Hunter Biden, his other son, has just been found guilty of felony charges involving gun possession related to his addiction illness and he is in recovery.

We live in a painfully polarized time. But I would argue that, regardless of party affiliation, compassion and empathy are warranted in acknowledging our shared humanity. While pundits will no doubt turn their focus to political fallout, we should not lose sight of the big picture: These are real people, with real lives, and real suffering.

From Larry S. Sandberg, New York The writer is a psychiatrist.

Dear Editor:  Addiction is a disease, and neither intelligence, education or great family support can prevent it. Such things also do not prevent cancer, mental illness, Parkinson’s or any other disease.

Hunter Biden fell prey to addiction, and as a result made bad choices that got him into trouble and have troubled his loving family to this day, even though he has been sober for a while. 

Hopefully Hunter Biden will continue to be recovering— although prison is not a good environment for an addict trying to stay sober!

If Hunter Biden weren’t the president’s son, he likely would not have even been on trial for something he did that thousands of addicts do in our gun-loving society, and get away with.

From Manuela Bonnet-Buxton, in Cornelius, Oregon