It’s important to allow all voices

“Democrats.… destroying our country” (Oct. 12 letter) got my attention and reminded me that there are all sorts of people in this country. I studied public affairs (government) after serving in Vietnam, with the hope of understanding how we got there. Then graduate school in organizational development, to explain the mechanism by which these decisions are made. Old wonds I know, and instructive.

Mr. Hickey has declared that all malice, misinformation, faults, issues and results of the current divide are caused by one party. He has lumped together disparate issues in a smooth stream of consciousness with the conclusion that we simply eliminate this tribe and all will be well. Nobody I know holds even a portion of these views, and my Republican friends are as disturbed by all this antagonism as I.

I agree with the view “voters should look at all the issues and decide.” And they should be free from the ugliness that we paint each other with in our letters to the editor. Critical thinking doesn’t mean being critical of each other, rather the process of looking at what we do and how it will affect us all. Name calling, degrading epithets and demagoguery promote a widening divide which leads to disfunction. Flat out accusing each other of things we cannot prove simply promotes the discord we all suffer.

I’m looking forward to more conversations this season, don’t expect agreement in all things and appreciate that I may learn something in the process. Uncomfortable maybe and not nearly as uncomfortable as being painted out by a point of view which flies in the face of all that I believe. We live on an island, a metaphor for our planet, and continual pot-shotting in the face of challenge doesn’t help. Please give me something tangible to consider Mr. Hickey, so we can discuss the merits of these issues.

Daniel Goldsmith

Freeland