Top US politicians warn of democratic values at risk

[babylonsister]

Top US politicians warn of democratic values at risk
putting it in perspective

Taking implicit aim at President Trump, political heavyweights George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and John McCain speak out about democracy and foreign policy, raising questions about the path ahead for the nation and GOP.

Peter Grier
Henry Gass


October 20, 2017 Washington and San Antonio, Texas—They were about President Trump. They were also about more than President Trump. Much more.

An extraordinary series of speeches this week from two former US Presidents and a former presidential candidate warned of the dangers to the nation and the world if divisive politics continues to cleave the American electorate into thoughtlessly hostile warring camps.

Former President George W. Bush talked about a rise in bigotry and casual cruelty. Former President Barack Obama observed that public life seems to be regressing from the 21st to the 19th century. Former presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R) of Arizona stressed the importance of an America engaged with the world and criticized “half-baked, spurious nationalism.”

None mentioned Mr. Trump’s name. To do so would have been both inflammatory and limiting. Their theme was not so much the content of Trump’s tweets as long-developing cracks in the American character. If the cracks are not to widen, voters may need to reach out to each other instead of push away.

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https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2017/1020/Top-US-politicians-warn-of-democratic-values-at-risk?cmpid=FB

[ck4829]

1. I do plenty of reaching out already

To the sick, the poor, the Muslim, the refugee, the immigrant, the gay, the transgender, to people who dare to say that black lives matter, etc.

If they're talking about the person who would say "Yeah there's some person shooting at us, but at least he's didn't shout 'Allahu Ackbar' before doing it, so it's just the price we pay for freedom", then stop. No.

There are people here in the US who consider the things I believe, many of what you believe as well, to be aberrations worthy of being destroyed, maybe some of the holders of those beliefs as well. They believe that people you and I count among our loved ones to be the 'other' with all the unfortunate implications of what that means. You can go ahead and compromise with that, but you are signing their declaration of war upon you, I will never give one inch to those who think The Purge is a how-to video.