Reader responds

Larry Anderson’s disappointing column, “America stands divided,” blames “lefties” and “liberals” for this division. In fact, week after week he’s blamed “liberals” for pretty much everything that he thinks is wrong with America. But in doing so he’s helping to perpetuate the very thing he complains about in this article: division. When I talk to a person here in Maryville or anywhere else, I don’t try to see that person in terms of some kind of political category or group, even if she thinks differently than me. She’s a person. Larry Anderson claims to know “lefties” well. I doubt that. If he did, he’d be aware of the wide range of opinion on the left as well as the right–and across the middle. What he’s pushing in his article is a media caricature rather than a political reality, and an easy straw man to knock over week after week. If Mr. Anderson wants to preach to anyone but his own choir, he might try focusing on real people in front of him–even so-called “lefties.” They’re everywhere, Larry, even here in Maryville, and they don’t all think the same. The ones I know don’t want to control people, take away their freedom, or divide the nation. That’s Vladimir Putin you’re thinking of. What they do want is a government that will respond to the very real problems of all Americans and protect the rights of everyone, no matter their color, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. That’s both true justice and freedom.

– Paul Johnson

Maryville