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Political hatred, rhetoric at an all-time high

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Political hatred, rhetoric at an all-time high

Posted by
Chris Bridges
in Opinions
Wednesday, September 16. 2009
Comments (10)
What is it about politics that makes people so mad? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself in recent weeks as we see people showing questionable behavior at best at so-called town hall meetings and rallies. We have a split in our country unlike anything we have ever seen.

While there a few people like myself who are really in the middle on issues (they call us Libertarians) the majority of people are either right-wing zealots or extreme leftists. How has such a divide in our county come about? What causes someone to bite the finger off another person at a rally about health care of all things?

Even on my Facebook account, if I dare mention anything political, I am often challenged or downright attacked, and this is from people I know, at least to some degree. My Facebook community consists of friends, current and past, current and past co-workers and people that I at least know presently or have had some sort of association in the past. And I thought sports arguments got heated.

Mention something political and the venom begins to spew. If I don’t agree with someone’s opinion I am called everything from a Communist, a terrorist supporter, an enemy of this country, against the troops, a Communist, an idiot, a moron, a traitor, a Communist, crazy, nuts, a loon, and on and on and on. Did I mention Communist?

I get the biggest laugh out of being called a Communist because I value personal freedom so much I would never be confused with anything associated with Communist. However, people, in their quick attempts to insult, try to fire off the first thing that comes to mind and I guess that is one of the terms still used today.

Through the years, my newspaper columns have been attacked by those on both the left and right. I am attacked by right-wing zealots for simply not supporting everything the Republicans do. Since I questioned why we went to war with a country that had nothing to do with 9-11, I am deemed Unpatriotic by talk show hosts employed by FOX News.

The right also gets on my case for not believing the most recent President Bush was right for signing the Patriot Act, which violates civil liberties of honest Americans. I also never had any use for Dick “Five Deferment” Cheney who freely sent our servicemen and servicewomen in harm’s way while never doing so when it was his time.

I am attacked by the left on issues such as gun rights, fighting taxes and the like. I criticized Democrats heavily for not standing up to bills like the Patriot Act and for being afraid to challenge Bush on his unconstitutional war in Iraq. A Democrat is now in the White House, yet our servicemen and servicewomen are still in harm’s way. You can hear of them dying in the line of duty on a daily basis if you care to listen, but who really pays attention any more outside of veteran groups.

Speaking of which, I criticize both parties for not doing more for our veterans once they return home and for bogging them down in enough red tape to choke a horse when it comes to receiving the benefits they deserve. I wish everyone who is fired up about health care would get as fired up about benefits for veterans once they return home.

As our nation continues to split politically down the middle, it’s nice to actually be in said middle. It’s where our forefathers would have been.

Chris Bridges is an editor with Mainstreet Newspapers. E-mail comments about this column to chris@mainstreetnews.com.

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#1 Anon E. Mouse on 09/16/09 at 12:03 PM [Reply]
You...you...you...COLUMNIST!!!!
#2 outside observer looking in on 09/16/09 at 06:18 PM [Reply]
FOX NEWS ,,,is really what grinds my gears,,,,that O riley fellow,,,really gets paid a lot of money to twist facts,not own up to the obvious truth ,,,and to support the ,,,BUSH...medival era intellect,,,I should have said the ''DARK AGES INTELLECT""...same goes for that RUSH L. fellow ...you know the one who condems everything ,,,but gets strung out on Oxicone or some drug of that nature,,,what a dud,
#3 Lime Dilligaff on 09/17/09 at 08:34 AM [Reply]
Most Americans are in the middle, but they are mostly silent and receive little press. It's the loudest on both sides that garner attention. Sad but true. It gives a perception that we're the most divided in our history. I find that when we actually speak with our neighbors we mostly want the same things. I believe we are conservative in values but with a passionate heart. When I say conservative, I mean we believe in family values, lower taxes, capitalism, freedom in most aspects of life and we're the best country on earth. When I say a passionate heart, we want to help those who cannot help themselves – this does not mean those who refuse to help themselves. The hard part is identifying and agreeing upon who needs help and who doesn’t.
#4 We'd like some facts on 09/17/09 at 07:04 PM [Reply]
Libertarians are in the middle? What? Check out the Libertarian Information Page and the LCL Report on the web or Tarrin Lupo on Facebook. This is not the middle unless you fold your paper favoring the left side.

I realize that this is just someones "opinion" but, goodness!!! You could possibly say that Federalists are the "middle"....and since when are people on the right or left a majority of zealots or extremists? Extremists and zealots on either side are in the minority...and crazy to boot.
#4.1 Lime Dilligaff on 09/18/09 at 12:59 PM [Reply]
I said "most". Libertarians are a small small minority.
#5 Jack on 09/17/09 at 07:05 PM [Reply]
Three things are for certain in this life......death, taxes, and Chris Bridges finding a way to complain about FOX News.
#6 buffalo 1 on 09/18/09 at 09:07 PM [Reply]
It's a shame that we all can't get along? I beleive that Chris is talking of the future. Sometimes we don't have the the time to look at the past mistakes we the country have taken, but just to speak our minds only in anger, without thought! If we only followed the things that have happened in our past, we would be a better nation than what we are now today! Keep up the good work Chris! Maybe the left and the right will come around soon!!!!!
#7 Hidarigawa on 09/19/09 at 12:23 PM [Reply]
ACORN. The nuts don't fall far from the tree and are loved by squirrels.
#8 Please on 09/19/09 at 01:04 PM [Reply]
Please shut up about FOX News. Every other news station has a liberal slant, can't there be just one with a conservative slant?
#8.1 outside observer looking in on 10/12/09 at 05:03 AM [Reply]
ABOUT fox news....I ""shut up"" about fox news ,,It is not on my T.V. ever ,,,PEOPLE THAT REFER TO fOX NEWS AS BEING FAIR AND BALANCED ,,,just give me a break....for I am not listening to you....how could any one??,,,Fox News is a rich persons agenda dictating the way for the rich to RULE, while at the same time having the poor people direct the country,,thru false pretense,,,,just think about it ....how else could they get what they want...they only have one vote each,,,but the poor and middle clase hold 95% of the voting power,,,,so while you are being ''used''' please do not try to invite me to your ""party""
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