Extremism in the face of liberty IS a vice

PA cop killer and survivalist Frein on the run for 62 days is the extension of right wing extremism at its worst. This ultra nationalistic militaristic violent man who hates government is part of a larger group that empathizes with his views. It is chilling. While most in this nation, I believe, are not like that there are many who have embraced the government hating violent overthrow of it as their choice for social change.

Liberals, progressives and conservatives alike MUST put a governor on the boundaries of one's philosophic speech and the behavior that emanates from it. We ALL, I believe, do better when we work with each other and have at least a degree of empathy for those who occupy the nation and the planet with us.

While agnostic, still, I have always had a love for what I think is the essence of Christianity. Some of Jesus' teachings are as Judaism instructs. Jesus having been a Jew shows its influence on him. In Matthew 22:34 Jesus is asked: "Teacher which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Deuteronomy 10:12.) This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

I offer my own mea culpas as my anger against those I perceive in opposition to my thoughts sometimes prevails. I, too, pay not enough attention to my own verbal boundaries because I so fervently think my cause just. Most, though, think their cause just as well.

Words have power. I will try to remember my own first commandment and that is to use my words for humanitarian good. Unlike Republican Barry Goldwater in his 1964 convention speech I DO think extremism in the face of liberty IS a vice.

We are, I believe, in the end, our brother's keeper and as Jesus is alleged to have said in Matthew 25:40: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." To those words, I concur and can only hope others do too.

In keeping with this I believe the Democratic Party in this nation is the more diverse of our two Party system. It has, at its core, humanitarian beliefs. Human beings are imperfect but our nation, the most powerful on earth, must present the better angels of what I know its nature to be. I urge you to get out the Democratic vote both here and across the nation to do just that!