To the Editor:
I was reading Mr. Gray’s latest commentary “It’s Over” and found myself discouraged at the tone of the article and the division that Mr. Gray creates in an attempt to prove his point.
Mr. Gray’s notion that today’s conservatism “has left America poorer, unhealthier, less united, and less secure than at any time since the aftermath of the Civil War” seems to ignore that conservatism has never had the governmental control that the progressive movement had during the last century and the first two years of the Obama administration. The Democratic Party
controlled 2/3 of the government for the first six years of the Obama administration and controlled the WHOLE government for almost two. It seems hard for me to understand how conservatism has not had a viable opposition if what opposes it had the governmental power for so long. But what are facts if you can ignore it and blame the other side.
I was also disappointed by the following statement “Their version of Islam leads them to believe they will go directly to Paradise, and receive special rewards, if they die as “martyrs. In truth, they are no crazier than anyone else who follows the commandments of a god they have never seen, in hopes of an eternal reward which might not be delivered.” I would challenge Mr. Gray to go Chester Baptist, Chester Methodist, Ironbridge Baptist or any other church in Chester who believes that killing other people for a religious advantage is acceptable. I would also challenge him to go to the local mosque in Bon Air and see he could find someone who would believe this. I just find that equating people who murder for religious glory to others who practice their religious values in peace is appalling. It would be like saying all atheist would act like Stalin, Mao, Robespierre or Jean-Baptiste Carrier.
There are plenty of gun laws on the books that could be enforced and there are cities like Chicago that have strong gun laws. But the gun laws are not working. Chicago is not called “Chiraq” because gun laws works. The same case can be made in New York City. I wonder if Mr. Gray thinks that if the drug laws do not work, how he expects to make the gun laws work? The people are even less willing to support the gun laws than drug laws. It is going to take more than just more laws to change people’s hearts. Judging by the reaction to the current crisis we are a long way from Mr. Gray’s idea that this is over, sadly it has just only begun.
I just find it discouraging that in order to make a point, it has been too common to demonize and demean the other side even when the facts to do not support it. This type of article has been all too common in the public discourse to the point that anyone who has a point will be yelling to the echo chamber of commonality with nothing being ever being done since the other side will tune you out.
Curtis McMillan
