LETTER TO THE EDITOR

President should set the tone for dignified political discourse

Posted

To the Editor:

Your editorial of June 22, “Rhetoric sparking political civil war,” is right to point out how print and digital media is contributing to the breakdown in political order, but to lay it at the feet of “the liberal left” is way off base.

The commander-in-chief is also the chief rabble rouser. He takes delight in fanning the flames of dissent, I think as a means to distract us from the lack of progress or policy on issues that are important to all Americans. Just look at his recent tweets which demean the appearance of a female journalist and the intellectual talents of her male colleague. Moreover, the hateful rhetoric did not begin, as your editorial implies, with the election. Candidate Trump was notorious for encouraging his supporters to physically attack protesters and for insulting members of the press, whom he has called an “enemy of the people.” If only the president would spend this time thinking about improving our health care system or rebuilding our dilapidated infrastructure.

I will be waiting to read your editorial on the president’s behavior.

Ann L. Sullivan, Portsmouth