Liberals Attack Brett Kavanaugh and Trash the Neighborhood

We live in frustrating and angry times here in America.  If you are not aware of this reality, then you are:

• a newborn
• a plant or an invertebrate
• in heaven
• comatose
• on a deserted island sans electronic devices or wifi
• living outside of the Milky Way

Peruse the front page of any newspaper or turn on any cable news channel.   You will read and hear about conflicts, outrage, investigations, accusations, threats and denials because this is what we desire and demand.  If we rejected such partisan and inflammatory reportage, the media would modify their content.   I do not accept that the media simply reports what is truly newsworthy; they produce their product to appeal to market forces.  Is Stormy Daniel's news value proportionate to the coverage she has received?  The reason that rags like the National Enquirer are successful is because we read them.

Beyond our collective appetite for darker and salacious content, we are also participants in the various tribal and cultural conflicts that are ongoing with no resolution in sight.  In other words, it's not all the media's fault.  For many interest groups and organizations, the mission is not to compromise or accommodate, but to vanquish and prevail.  Issues are viewed as a series of zero sum games – if you win, then I lose.   Of course, this is absurd. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed in a 96-3 vote in the Senate in 1993.   She was a known liberal, but Republicans properly supported her confirmation as she was qualified to serve.  Liberal presidents nominate jurists who are aligned with their philosophies.  Indeed, this should be a major consideration of voters when casting ballots in presidential elections.  Qualified nominees should be confirmed.  President Obama’s 2 Supreme Court Justices received Republican support, as they deserved.  Recently, Judge Brett Kavanaugh was nominated to assume Justice Anthony Kennedy’s seat.   Although his qualifications and temperament are unassailable, he has been vilified as if he is the anti-Christ.  Just because the Republicans inexcusably deprived Judge Merrick Garland of a hearing, does not justify perpetuating the dishonorable misdeed.  I wonder had President Trump nominated Moses, King Solomon or Jesus, if they would be similarly and summarily rejected by political opponents.

Moses - Clearly not Judge Material

Let me offer readers an oasis, albeit a brief one, from the chaos and the depressing morass that surrounds us.

Go and see Won’t You Be My Neighbor, a film that chronicles the life and work of one of our nation’s treasures, Fred Rogers.   He was an extraordinary human being, who inspired us with his deep humanity, compassion and love.   I found myself near tears during several moments of the film, and I continue to reflect on him his weeks later.  He was an antidote to hate and intolerance.  He made a difference.  We need him now more than ever.  See the film and you will also yearn to join his neighborhood.  

In today's era, if Fred Rogers needed Senate confirmation, could he achieve it?