Hate not coming from ‘many sides’

As usual, President Donald Trump says the false equivalency that both sides need to stop the hatred, but it is only one side that promotes it. It is one party and one group that continually preaches hatred for others not like them, fear of others not like them and general ignorance of issues, human needs and how to develop a country that provides opportunity for all.

Republicans, and most specifically conservatives, promote hate, fear, them vs. us and overwhelmingly create a world that is bound to have explosions like the one in Virginia and others around the country. When all you promote is hate and fear coupled with greed, the result is violence, intolerance and a drive to shut out anyone not exactly like you.

It culminates in violence and intolerance, which is promoted by the right wing as a way to “cleanse” America for “real” Americans. You know, those who are white, rich, God-fearing and living off of the sweat, tears and hard work of the other America.

When Trump states “many sides,” he has no sense of what he is talking about, which is not unusual, because he is by far the least knowledgeable president in our history. He makes George W. Bush look competent, and that takes some effort. It is not both sides, it is the extremist right wing that fans the flames of racism, misogyny and class warfare.

Hopefully, Americans are waking up to what we allowed to happen and will make radical changes in 2018.

This story was originally published August 30, 2017 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Hate not coming from ‘many sides’."