Hatefest toward Obama reflects more on haters than on president

Hatefest toward Obama reflects more on haters than on president

I see President Obama is now being vilified by the right for having a cup of coffee in his hand while saluting two Marines as he exited Marine One. One commentator made the incredible claim that Obama’s improper salute proves that he hates the military.

I am becoming increasingly ashamed that I share citizenship with those hate-filled critics who now look for any perceived Obama misstep to prove their outrageous claims that he either hates our country and our freedoms, is a Kenyan-born Muslim who wants to establish a Muslim theocracy, or a Marxist-socialist who wants to take away our personal freedoms, or all of the above.

I first noticed the coarsening of political discussion during the Reagan administration, to which I regretfully contributed. It increased rapidly through the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations and has now become a shameful example of human expression at its worst. There are certainly legitimate criticisms of Obama’s presidency (as there were with every president), but the need by some to find fault with virtually everything about Obama indicates the deep-seated hatred that they hold for him. Our tolerance and support for this display of hatred absolutely shatters any claim that we are a “Christian” nation.

The man was, in fact, twice elected by a majority of voters, something that I believe angers the haters even more. While criticism of his record are legitimate expressions of one’s beliefs about the president, the hateful, cruel and personal attacks that are becoming more and more prevalent are more a reflection on the character of the haters than they are of the president.

Our failure to respect the political, social and religious views of others has more in common with the radical terrorists who tolerate no deviation from their beliefs than it does with a country founded on the belief that despite our differences, we will compromise to reach a common ground. My fervent hope is that rational people will restore some civility to our political discourse that has now devolved into a mud slinging, insult-screaming hatefest.

Robert F. Mollic, Liberty