Archived Opinion

Negativity is infesting our politics

To the Editor:

The greatest problem facing our country today and in the future is not from abroad but from within. It is the use of hate that is gripping the “far right” and it is growing and spreading among our population.

In the older days, each party built their platform on how to better help the nation and its people. In the early sixties, this “far right” element entered the Republican Party and changed things. They tried attacking their opponents in every way possible and forgot about things to help the people. It became known as “negative politics.” It has worked and has continued over time to grow until now it is no longer “negative politics” but has become “hate politics.” This hate is now being spread by some of its “far right” promoters who even use parts of the scripture to promote it.

Our Constitution forbids the mix of church and state; however, we must also remember that Christ taught only love and forgiveness. While the Bible is used to illustrate the sins of the opponents, is hypocrisy not the greatest sin of all?

As a nation, where will this hate lead us? If we study history, we learn that the angry man was what eventually led the Nazis and Hitler to power, along with Stalin and the Soviets. What kind of nation will we become and what do we leave for our children if this aforementioned hypocrisy “hate” is not stopped?

According to national polls, it seems that everybody is mad at our country. Although not perfect, it is still the greatest country on earth. They blame Obama for their anger, but truly our economy has come a long way under his guidance considering what he inherited. It would have been done even better had he not had to deal with our other president (John Boehner?). 

ISIS must be happy.

If this sounds like the “negative politics” I’m trying to fight, it is. It is the only thing left to do. Nothing else has worked to stop it. As a farmer would say, “it’s time to grab the bull by the horns,” and as firemen know sometimes you have to fight fire with fire!

This thing on gun control has finally come to the top where it should have been years ago. Just look at the lives that could have been saved.

Tommy Boyd

Haywood County

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