Silence like a cancer grows

By Max Miller, Editor-At-Large

I am a glass is half full kind of guy, in fact some might say rather annoyingly so. I am the epitome of the eternal optimist that things will eventually work out, even if it means going through some pain first. Of course to get to this result could mean more time than anyone is willing to give, but I like to believe in the general goodness of mankind. You can see this every day. If this was not the case, we would surely be at perpetual war, with plague, petulance and suffering all around us, with only glimpses of good, whereas clearly the opposite is true.

However that doesn’t mean we should accept bad behavior knowing full well that in the end it will pass. After all bad behavior can cause suffering for those who are in the here and now. Secondly bad behavior can cause future generations to behave poorly or serve as a bad example for others today. But when it comes to the United States, with its built in so-called “checks and balances” you have to wonder the rationale of so called good people when they let bad people get away with appalling behavior. How many times have we heard words such as “I may disagree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Or, “for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing.” And so on. If people do nothing, then these phases simply become platitudes.

A case in point is Trump calling people “dogs,” “losers” “pigs,” etc. This is unacceptable. I have heard a few times, supporters of Trump saying, well he is simply punching back.  My argument is the same, if your wife or daughter was in a political argument with a man, would you accept that person calling them a “pig?” Of course not. You couple this with Trump’s attacks on the press, any perceived enemies, his total lack of intellectual curiosity and his extreme neediness, and you have to wonder who is doing more damage to the US, Trump or the cowards who support him to the detriment of the United States.

I want to make clear this is not a political statement, I have said many times I am an independent and proud of it, but if ever there was a time for political courage, this is it.