I really wish that political ads weren’t so negative. Opponents are made to seem like enemies who would destroy America if elected. So much hatred comes through that it’s hard to feel good about our election process.

In a movie I watched last week, there was a guy desperately trying to reconnect with his daughter. She had gone astray and was about to make a mistake. He said, “The fine upstanding folks of this town” treated her like dirt. They are “the fine folks that go to church every Sunday and tell God how much they love him,” he continued. Then, they “spend every other day of the week hating his children.”

I wish we could do away with the hatred. Hatred for this one because he comes from another country. Hatred for that one because of their gender identity. Hatred for this family because they don’t speak English. Hatred for that family because they have two dads raising their children. Hatred for this church because they worship a different god, or perhaps worship  differently. Hatred for that city because they are steeped in poverty and violence. Hatred for this group because of their skin color. Hatred for books that tell an uncomfortable truth.

Would that we could hate corruption, dishonesty and greed. Would that we could hate conditions that breed poverty and violence. Would that we could hate "otherism,” racism, and “whataboutism.” Would that we could look honestly at ourselves and vow to correct anything in our own behavior that continues to fill our country with hate, not love.

Delores Paulk

Germantown