To the editor:
Although I wasn’t too excited about either presidential candidate in the last election, I have to say I have personally not had any ill effects from the results.
I’m living quite comfortably during my retirement years due to a thriving market, I feel the ISIS situation is under much better control now than pre-election, I feel our borders are safer (if we are going to have immigration laws, why not enforce them), and I’m excited to see a new tax structure, that I hope will prove to be fair to all.
What I do fear, however, is a change in culture as to how people will approach making a stand or point in the future; that being the practice of demeaning or make someone look bad instead of merely pointing out differences in opinion.
We’ve seen a reporter “mocked” due to having a physical disability, opposing candidates belittled by “name calling,” pointing out that an opponent who spent five years as a prisoner of war wasn’t a hero due to being caught, calling players derogatory names for not standing during the anthem, and now referring to certain countries as a derogatory name; all situations that somehow have full support of part of the American public.
At my age, I have no fear of the change of culture this could bring to us as a society, but am fearful for future generations. I can sympathize with my colleagues still in the teaching field trying to counter name-calling and bullying, as parents will be armed and ready to fight for their child’s right to call a classmate “Little Johnny” or “lying Sally;” the POTUS did it, and look where it got him.
Or possibly it will work in the favor of teachers, as they might possibly be able to now publicly call a group of students names for not following rules; if it’s acceptable for the POTUS, why not teachers?
If this sounds absurd, just look at the situation in Franklin, where an elected city councilman felt justified in posting on social media a reference to not only people of s***hole countries, but also s***hole Democrats wanting these s***people to enter the country for s***hole votes; if the POTUS can do it (and it’s still unclear if he did or not), let’s let it filter down to all levels of government.
I think there’s an old saying: “All’s fair in love, war, and politics,” but sadly, we seem to have taken the politics thing to a new level!
Bob Whitson
Greenwood
