Letters: The beginnings of dictatorship?

Listening to the Republican convention left me concerned about the future of our country.

One speaker claimed that we have to fight and defeat those who want to restrict our freedom as promised by the Second Amendment; never mind that he is employed by the National Rifle Association. Another speaker attacked the Democratic candidate by reading a list of charges and asking for a vote of guilty. What happened to that fundamental principle of this democracy: innocent until proven guilty?

So here is a party that stands for unrestricted access to arms and holds trials by public response to the question of guilty. Is this how Rome’s democracy became a dictatorship? Whatever happened to hearing about the talents and skills of a candidate?