Debate issues instead of inflaming passions

Jay Kacena's letter July 3 is a better than average example of one of the poisons mainlined into the body politic by our former president: if you disagree with me, you must hate me, and because you hate me, of course you'll disagree with everything I say, and since it is impossible to disagree with me, you should just shut up or be shut up.

Kacena's argument is that because President Joe Biden disagrees vehemently with the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade, he must, therefore, disrespect the court as an institution, a serious crime displaying ignorance of the Constitution and disloyalty to core American values. So, he should not be president. Overall, the letter is a "tit-for-tat" reaction to Democrats in general, and in particular, to the Jan. 6 hearings that display the former president brazenly disrespecting the Constitution.

Our political discussions of so many current issues could benefit greatly if we gave up childish things. Can we debate issues instead of playing kids' games like "gotcha!" and "you just hate me?" A lot depends on our growing up, not just the success of the American experiment, but perhaps human survival on the planet.

Terry Heller

Cedar Rapids