Why is there so much fear and anger on both sides of the political spectrum—more than I've ever felt in any previous election? I must be honest and upfront; I think Trump is a dangerous con artist, but I also believe he and his movement are tapping into REAL fears that Americans hold. We are anxious because so many things in our society have changed so rapidly. Our technology is constantly evolving- so much so that we don't understand anything anymore. And our cities, towns, and rural places are changing so rapidly that we don't even recognize them. People are rightfully anxious about the rate of all this change- change that we feel we have no control over.
I think Judy Woodruff (in this PBS series) is genuinely concerned about political divisions and the risk of violence, regardless of the outcome in November. I believe this series attempts to identify and address this problem. I urge everyone, including myself, to try to listen to people with different perspectives and political opinions—albeit as difficult as that is to do. It's so easy to take disagreements personally and to feel frustrated with others who hold ideas we deem dangerous or abhorrent. Here is a link to some of her reporting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9oggw69APU
Yet we all have a point of view and legitimate reasons for supporting our particular candidates. We must try to see the goodness and common ground in the "other." We must recognize their fears and the fundamental source of all that rage. There will always be conflict and division in any society, but I want us to recognize this problem before it jeopardizes our country's future survival. BTW, it may be we are destined for civil war, but even so we must still work for reconciliation. Democracy requires us to accept diverse opinions and worldviews, and this assortment of ideas and mixing of peoples has made our country so creative and unique.
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