Monday Letters to the Editor

On our divided society

I am deeply saddened by the divisiveness that we see today in America; never before in my lifetime have I witnessed such division among Americans This divide appears to be based upon everything from political affiliation and gender preference to skin color and religion.

But I would submit that this division can be defined by separating Americans into two distinct classes: the haters vs. the hated. And I would further submit that any one of us can be the “hater” or the “hated” on any given day.

I know that my belief system is based on what seems to be outmoded values these days: Christianity, the Constitution and capitalism. And I am told that my silence to date means that I must be in agreement with the opposing belief systems and values that are touted so loudly and so relentlessly in our television programming and other forms of media.

But I find that accusation to be an odd one to make. I have considered my silence to be that of tolerance — because tolerance is one of the most beautiful things about America.

Sadly, however, the roar of these opposing belief systems has become so loud and so relentless that I can no longer choose to remain silent. I believe that individuals of sound mind should always be held accountable and responsible for their actions.

J. Clyde McFadden, Indian Land

On the Democrats

The Democrats have already squandered tens of millions of dollars trying to depose President Donald Trump despite the fact that:

▪ Trump was legally elected in 2016.

▪ Trump was elected because of the Democrats’ political high-handedness and extreme loyalty to a political dynasty that never comprehended the voter’s disgust with the insiders in the D.C. swamp.

That’s sad.

But what’s even sadder is that no one seems to notice how the Democrats have shamefully wasted the last three years — which have been three of the most robust years in our nation’s history.

The Democrats could have put the past three years to more fruitful use by helping to move our country forward, but those years are now gone forever. This utter waste of time by our elected leaders cannot and should not be forgiven.

Renowned academic and historian Ian Morris has suggested that the next half-century will be “the most dangerous of all time.” And that begs this question: Can America survive and prosper under the politically petty and self-serving buffoons whose main objective is securing their personal career longevity rather than protecting our republic?

K.J. Dolney, Columbia.

On clean air, cars

The clean car standards have been proven effective in reducing dangerous tailpipe pollution from cars and trucks — which in turn helps keep South Carolina’s air clean and our communities healthy (especially for minority and low-income families, which are disproportionately impacted by air pollution).

The automotive industry is a major South Carolina employer through BMW, Volvo and their many suppliers across the state. But the current efforts by President Donald Trump’s administration to roll back the pollution standards will only make it harder for manufacturers to serve the American market. The reality is that clean cars are here now, and they will shape the future public and economic health of our country.

I urge our lawmakers to condemn the Trump administration’s attempts to lessen these important protections that are helping South Carolina’s automotive industry.

Alan Buck, West Columbia

This story was originally published November 18, 2019 at 1:19 PM.