I wrote a column around a month ago in which I stated I rarely wrote about politics because someone always had to jump in to tell me why I was wrong instead of allowing me to have my own point of view. Although I heard from several readers telling me they appreciated it, one reader was very unhappy and had to explain why I was wrong in no uncertain terms.

I’m not bothered by this, as one of the things that make our country great is freedom of speech. What does bother me, though, is when instead of a calm discussion about differing opinions, vitriol and hate are spewed.

You can immediately tell what media a person watches when they repeat things that have been debunked over and over. Things like the candidate they despise calling military personnel ‘suckers and losers.’ But the legacy media keeps repeating it. Over and over and over again.

I’m so tired of being told I’m a racist and a bigot because of the person I support for president. I am absolutely not either.

I wrote the column because the rhetoric has gone way too far. Not because you have to have the same opinion as I do. Listening to and accepting differing opinions is proven to be a good thing, it helps us become better thinkers and communicators. It’s important to democracy, the thing one side screams will be destroyed if the other side wins.

I naively thought after two assassination attempts, the other side might rethink what they’ve been saying. But instead of toning it down, they’ve ramped it up. Holding an actual official press conference to tell the world that someone said their opponent wanted ‘generals like Hitler had.’ Comparing the recent rally at Madison Square Garden to a Hitler rally. 

Are you kidding me? I can’t believe this is the United States of America. What’s happened to us?

After 9/11, we were all Americans; we didn’t care which ‘side’ our neighbors were on. I’m honestly terrified about what’s going to happen on November 6. I’m asking everyone, no matter who wins, to remember that we’re all Americans. And to stop listening to the legacy media.

We all want unity and prosperity and peace and lawfulness.

I know who I pray wins the election. I truly believe our country depends on it. The world depends on it.

God bless America.