Hang onto moderation
The overwhelming number of police officers go to extremes to treat everyone fairly. An overwhelming number of the minority community are law-abiding citizens who have the same dreams as all Americans.
There is no excuse for excessive force to be used by any police officer against any member of our community. There is no excuse to riot and loot in the name of protest.
Police officers and any citizen who believes they have been wrongfully accused, harmed or treated unfairly has a Fourth Amendment due process right of redress. Police unions have an obligation to protest and defend police officers who have been accused of wrongdoing. Citizens have the same right of peaceful protest.
Media, in an effort to gain market share, entices movement from the middle to the extremes. Hence the voices of the far right and far left drown out moderation in the middle.
This election cycle has been a roller-coaster ride by political pundits tearing our nation in half and into shreds. Hate has replaced common sense and compassion, fear is our primary motivation. Our enemies around the world sit in waiting as our divide weakens the resolve that has always made this nation great.
Raymond Sabbatine
Shelbyville
This story was originally published September 30, 2016 at 8:27 PM with the headline "Hang onto moderation."