Let’s agree to disagree and live to tell the tale about civil discourse. I think that’s the problem today. Too many times friends get lost in the politics and the rhetoric of the moment. And to what end?

While the Dog might be opinionated, albeit to the loathing and dislike of others of a differing political stripe, we’re nothing if we’re not respectful of a differing position. Hence our policy at this weekly news-rag, if you have a differing position than the News-pooch, you go to the front of the line for publication in our letters section.

That said, why not seek the common ground? Let’s look for the good, talk about success rather than focusing on the negative. Let’s celebrate that which brings us together rather than the politics of hate. Sadly, the Dog thinks respect has taken a back seat to being not wrong in so many ways.

Social media can be a tool for good in so many ways. Sadly, too many times this Dog has seen social media being used as a tool for inciting hate, discontent and divisionary politics. Rather than have a civil discussion about a pivotal issue, too many times, electronic memes (pictures with inflammatory captions, for those not in the computer age), are used to convey a point of view rather than having an open and honest discussion about the salient points of each side’s position.

It is said that all politics is local. This critically thinking News-hound agrees, given the number of times this neighborhood-minded pooch has stood shoulder to shoulder with neighbors of a differing political stripe, and battled at the municipal level some ridiculous decision by a County Judge to roll a dangerous criminal back out on the street.

The Dog has stood with people of differing ethnicities or widely varying income brackets to protect historic buildings or the sanctity of a historic district when a deep-pockets developer threatens a ten-story, steel and glass tower being better suited to an area than five Nell Peters designed historic apartment buildings. It is our differences that make us one. Fact: Just because we disagree politically, doesn’t mean we hate each other. Believe it or not, politics can be discussed and debated without punches being thrown and cars being set ablaze and inflammatory memes being thrown down in the place of using our words effectively.

This round of elections are over and the time is now to come together as friends and neighbors and embrace that which brings us together instead of throwing rocks at those on social media that disagree politically. With municipal elections a scant six months away however, we fear the rhetoric will only escalate.