L.J. Schaffnit: It's much harder to be caring than to be hateful

To The Daily Sun,

The divide in our country has become quite evident, and it is rooted in the establishment of political parties and has degenerated into the present day. With the founding of the Federalist and the Democratic-Republican parties, fierce partisan division existed from the very beginning of our nation. George Washington was famously against the notion of political parties and offered dire warnings against them in his farewell address. He is quoted as stating that, "Political parties will only serve to divide us."

Political parties, then and now, continue to believe what they want and spew hate towards any side that holds a differing opinion instead of actually accepting the fact that individual beliefs of each and every person can coexist with the other. They demonize each other, and political victories are seen as an opportunity, not to work with the other side to get something done, but rather to advance their own naked agenda. This is exemplified by the gridlock in Congress, which works against a cooperative approach, and this lack of cooperation can be traced to the divide created by the two major parties.

These political parties strive to implement strategies to divide our citizenry, pitting one against the other, using tactics designed to get everyone to choose sides based on their selfish self-interests. Division of the people is intentional, and as we've witnessed, has been a most successful ploy by those seeking power. With either party, some people are only able to see right or left and buy into the propaganda.

I wonder if this you-or-me, you're either with us or against us mentality is something that we are going to have to contend with, or if we can consider a shift in perspective to you-and-me nation. I do hope that political parties will change how they operate, but until then, the populace must take the time to see through the lies and deceit of each.

Hate is a stimulating emotion. The world around us becomes much easier to understand and much less terrifying if we divide everything and everyone into friends and enemies, us and them, good and evil. The easiest way to ignite a group isn't through love, because love is hard. It makes demands. Hate is simple.

"Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong." - Richard Armour, American poet and author.

L.J. Schaffnit

Gilmanton