From time to time, I explore the op-ed sections of publications that, in my opinion, have lost some journalistic credibility, such as the New York Times.
I’m attempting to fathom why our country is so deeply divided on critical issues and what I consider fundamental truths. For instance, the belief that a man is a male adult and a woman is a female adult, with the corresponding gendered pronouns “he” and “she.”
“They” is a term used to describe a plurality, referring to more than one person or entity. Given the current cultural complexities, even this term may require further clarification. “They” pertains to more than one physical entity, whether a group of humans or any other sentient beings.
I genuinely want to comprehend the perspectives of “the other side”: what matters to them, what they’re reading, and how they perceive the world. It’s increasingly clear to me that some of them may not see clearly at all; in fact, I believe some may be entirely blind.
Recently, I came across some letters to the editor under the headline “A Performance Review for President Biden.” Despite my best efforts, I found it nearly impossible to fathom the viewpoint through which these individuals are assessing our country.
The opening letter left me utterly bewildered, mouth agape. The reader remarked, “Sure, the president is old, but, boy, has the country improved.”
Let’s consider matters of morality. Could this statement possibly refer to Sam Britton, the deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy, who dressed as a woman and was imprisoned for theft related to women’s luggage?
Or perhaps the reader is referring to reports of cocaine use in the White House?
What about tolerance? It’s difficult to label Biden’s rhetoric towards conservative Americans as tolerant, or his emphasis on elevating one minority social group over the broader category of women as anything other than pandering.
The reader continued with the assertion that “respect for America in the world has returned.” I’m at a loss for words on this one, but I imagine Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin might strongly disagree.
According to a Pew Research report from last summer, roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) believe that the U.S. is less respected on the global stage than in the past. It’s worth noting that even Democrats express concerns about Biden’s approach on the world stage.
The reader went on to praise, “Foundations for the country’s future have been established (Inflation Reduction Act, Chips Act, etc.). And the basic economic approach has shifted from ineffective Reaganomics to highly effective Bidenomics.”
