We can debate without bitter divisiveness

Editor: Justice Ruth BaderGinsberg is dead and with her may be a generation of people who could vote against each other and still eat dinner and pray together; a disappointing outlook across America.

As has been mentioned during reports of the passing of justices Bader-Ginsberg’s and Antonin Scalia (2016), these ideologically opposed justices were very close friends. It is hard to imagine how society could have let this happen without canceling both, but somehow the friendship was able to remain alive until they were not.

I find it hard to remain optimistic about the future of politics in the U.S. as we, seemingly, grow more and more divided as a nation with every passing year. What is more troubling is how personal the conversations have become. No longer can we just say Democrat tax policy is overbearing and Republicans steer every discussion back to the Second Amendment; the criticisms often side-step policy all together and focus on personal, social attributes.

Speaking at the funeral service of Justice Scalia, Justice Bader-Ginsberg mentioned a quote from Scalia that couldn’t be over-stated today in hopes of restoring some social sanity, “I attack ideas. I don’t attack people. And some very good people have some very bad ideas. And if you can’t separate the two, you gotta get another day job.”

We need more of this practice in society today. We should be able to debate ideas without attacking the individual and their character. Let’s face it, those ideas will live longer than most of the people who say them, so they should be the focus anyway.

Tuesday marks this year’s first presidential debate; we need more public forum debate, but presidential debates don’t seem the best place to start. Has anyone else noticed that TV “discussion panel” participants seem to share the same agendas and don’t challenge our intellect or preconceived notions?

If we as a society have decided to give up dialogue with “those people,” the outlook is grim. If we can look past the most prominent and focus on our neighbors, dinners will be less lonely and much more fulfilling.

JONATHAN SOLIS Lodi

Save American democracy

Editor: It has been four-plus weeks since my last letter about the threat to democracy under Trump. Since that time we have seen the following:

Trump knew how deadly the virus was but didn’t say anything to the American people claiming he wanted to have people “remain calm.” He ranted that nobody is getting the virus and young people are pretty much immune.

But, he continues to distance himself at his rallies, gets tested daily (do you?), won’t shake hands, and is at least 20 feet from any human contact. Results. .. there are now 24,000 plus more deaths and total over 204,000. His team is headed by a doctor with no epidemiology or infectious disease experience. Trump continues to manipulate, denigrate and obfuscate the CDC and other credible voices concerning the pandemic. Seems to me, he thinks this virus is Real!

In reality, he likes panic and fear mongering when it suits his political agenda. Almost every night we hear stories of how the demonstrators are rioting and looting and setting fires. To hear him say it, it sounds like the whole country, but it is not. These unlawful activities usually occur after peaceful protesters leave are done by criminals that seek to take advantage of the chaos. A chaos encouraged by Trump and right extremists in order to instill fear and help inflame an already tense confrontation between the police and the protesters. Folks, there will not be a wave of Antifa followers surging into your neighborhoods to take over your homes and cities!

He continues to claim, without proof, that if he doesn’t win it was because of fraudulent ballots. If he actively encourages: blocking polling sites, slowing the mail, telling people to vote twice, declares himself a winner by invalidating ballotsthis is nothing less than an attack on the democracy of the U.S. If a lot of people vote (Democrats and Republicans!) it will be harder to claim fraud.

Please vote and vote early to stop this from happening!

CORY COLLA

Lodi