John Rogers: Extreme politics will cause the demise of our democracy

To The Daily Sun,

I am writing to share my concerns about our current political environment. I am a 74-year-old New Hampshire native. In the late 1950s my grandfather, James P. Rogers, was a Republican state senator. He was a moderate Republican. He considered all the other senators his colleagues, no matter what party affiliation. The focus was on good government and serving the people.

Today there are extreme points of view and policies from both sides that are more ideological than practical. Many politicians today are about their personal agendas and desire to upset the norms of good government. Each side attacks the other as causing the demise of good government and our democracy.

For some liberals it's anything goes and for some conservatives it's about ending the separation of church and state. We separated from England to be free from the government imposing its religion and morality on individuals. Yet we also need some political and social norms and guides. Remember in the '50s and early '60s we had, for example, dress codes and other requirements to attend high school? At the time it was the norm, and I don't know anyone who would say today that they were hurt by those requirements.

For years we have been the example for many other countries as they became more democratic and less authoritarian. Yet for the past five years we have become a more divided country with more extreme views and issues. We are no longer the land with the shining beacon on the hill showing the rest of the world how to live and let live in a free, fair and prosperous country where we all work to together to protect our values and our homeland. Consider how your vote can make a difference.

John Rogers

Laconia