How fortunate we are to have Liz Soares’ refreshing, stimulating column “Thinking things through.” Soares’ column, “Sanders supporters struggle with Hillary” (July 9), prompted these sentences.

Soares’ commendable courage challenges us in these times of indifference to address what really should matter.

What makes these times so frightening and angry is the negligent indifference of our two major political parties to provide our nation’s voters with morally sound and emotionally healthy candidates for president. It shows a complete disregard for our democratic process.

Over half of our nation’s voters are not registered as Democrats or Republicans. We independents, therefore, have had no opportunity in the nomination process. Unfortunately, also, according to national opinion polls, more than half of this nation’s voters dislike both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Sadly, our apathy over time has tranquilized too many of us into becoming irresponsible citizens more interested in things of lesser importance. That has eroded our desire to care and appreciate how blessed we are to live in this nation, which has been maintained and protected by generations of courageous and caring persons whose sacrifices we now take so much for granted.

Lawrence Merckens

Manchester