Dear Editor:

I am flattered that John Fossett would read and comment on my letters. Newspapers across the country, from the big national dailies to small local weeklies, publish letters from their readers who opine on a broad range of topics. I am grateful to the publishers of this newspaper for maintaining that proud American tradition.

The quaint idea that we should discuss our political opinions over coffee has some merit. Our founding fathers met in public houses to discuss the politics of the day. Until a few decades ago, public discussions of politics were grounded in honest disagreement and some respect for the truth.

But today we dwell in a world flooded with propaganda that makes discerning what the truth is difficult. Thus we have become divided into camps where discourse is one of identity not of substance. The goal of such discussion becomes one of “winning” by insult rather than a resolution of what the truth may be. To offer an opinion or make a statement of fact invites a hostile response. As Ann Coulter put it, “always outrage the enemy.” This is clearly not a formula for reasoned discourse.

Such is the nature of the “culture war” embroiling our nation. To listen to the speeches given at the recent National Prayer Breakfast is to see this in action. The veneer of religion is being used with the blunt force of government to impose cultural change on American society. The goal of this populist propaganda is not to win hearts and minds but to suppress the voices of reason and morality.

As much as one would like to see the issues of the day calmly and reasonably discussed in the public square, such opportunities are thin. This makes the opinion section of the local newspaper a valuable resource in fostering the conversations that shape our society.

The impulse to protest and say “Give me a break,” is understandable. No one wants this culture war, but here it is anyway and it's not going away. To turn this tide we must stand and assert those moral values that define our America.

Fred W. Nehring

Boothbay