Donald Trump claims over and over again that he loves America.

I am not voting for Donald Trump.

Disregard that he talks to and about women like they are objects. He talks down to and badly about minorities.

His rude talk about prisoners of war, “He’s a war hero because he was captured, I like people who weren’t captured.” He wants to ban Muslims. He doesn’t believe in climate change.

He is so thin-skinned he has to send out negative tweets about beauty pageant contestants at 3 a.m.

He compares his business sacrifices equal to that of Gold Star families.

He admires Vladimir Putin. He mocks people with disabilities and makes racist comments about judges.

He has a violent temper, “Knock the crap out of him.” “I’d bomb the (expletive) out of them.”

All the bankruptcies he has filed has bilked hard-working Americans out of owed money.

He has shipped thousands of jobs overseas and uses steel from foreign countries on his construction sites. He says he loves war. He doesn’t pay taxes.

There are many, many reasons I could list for not voting for the Donald.

My reason is that he is a draft dodger.

My daughter served our country in the Army in South Korea, and my son-in-law has been deployed in combat multiple times and is active in the National Guard. I see firsthand how they have shown and continue to show love of this great country.

On the other hand, you have Donald Trump.

When it was the Donald’s turn to serve our country during the Vietnam War, he chickened out. He took four deferments, then found a doctor who gave him a fifth deferment right out of college. So while John McCain was being tortured by the enemy, Donald — who would later belittle Mr. McCain — had many chances to serve his country’s calling but said no. The Donald had a sore foot.

I am not voting for a conman who pretends to love his country.

Al Helgerson

Albert Lea