Once upon a time we were civil, respected those of differing opinion, won arguments, lost others, believed in a civil code of conduct and lived by it. Punished and ruined those that crossed the line. Won elections lost others yet remained civil. Then came the 60's, and by the 80's a newly accepted sense of vitriol outbursts, intolerance, disrespect, unrest, a belief that the ends justified the means, anything goes, the juicy sound bite, fabrication, and character assassination all in the name of politics and retention of political power?
What happened, was it the result of the Democrat machine loosing its 80 year strangle hold on the American political arena, assassination of the President, loss of our nations innocence? Conservatives were labeled as fascists, liberal's as communists and socialist sympathizers.
Is this the design, extension, and realization of Saul Alinski's new radical movement, SDS, and new progressive movements methodology employed to grasp and secure power in the attempt to create a new order? Today people use the word fascist and have no concept or understanding as to what fascism was or is, furthermore its application within the context of today's political, social, economic environment, yet it is used freely to identify those possessing beliefs counter to the progressive movement, whom choose to believe in freedom of choice, liberty, Constitution, and accompanying bill of rights. Do people really understand what the progressive movement represented at the turn of the 20th century, what it actually is?
The vitriol disrespect demonstrated and employed is killing this country. This past election was I hope the low point in the American experience and that the country will move forward to once again retain some sense of civility, but yet then again maybe its the indicator of further decay. America made a decision, as it did in the 20's, to reject the progressive movement. Now we see whom the intolerant, dis-respective, jack booted brown shirts are.