A More Harmonious Union

Steve Almond bio ↓  ·  September 21st, 2009  ·  filed under video

It’s become pro forma for the media to refer to those citizens who descended upon Washington, DC, on September 12, as loyal opponents of the Obama agenda. Fair enough. But what do these folks actually believe? To what facts and feelings are they loyal? Please watch this video to find out.

Many of my friends were disgusted by what they saw, but I felt mostly a profound sadness. Any time people start comparing a leader to Hitler, they are not seeking common ground, but laying the psychological groundwork for an assassination. We would do well to remember what happened to the last two presidents who sought so publicly to educe the better angels of our nature.

If you must be angry, please direct these sentiments at our illustrious free press, whose members — rather than serving as the peoples’ representative in Washington — have chosen to foment ignorant rage, then cover it incessantly. It’s quite a racket, when you think about it.

And you might even take a little hope from all this. One dude, armed with just a camera and a basic command of our recent political history, was able to shed some light in a dark place.

Maybe if we took a bit more time to do the same thing — to engage “the mob” as individuals rather than gawking at them — we’d create a stronger and more harmonious union.

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Steve Almond is the author of eight books, including Letters from People Who Hate Me. You can find more of his books here and here, and you can order his new collection of stories, "God Bless America," here. More from this author →

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