America 'can find the way back' from 'intolerable' polarization

In the view of one side, President Trump is a racist, lying Russian puppet and a lousy businessman.

On the other side, Democrats are led by people such as “Sleepy Joe” Biden, “Pocahontas” Warren and “Crazy” Bernie.

Is there a way back to a less intensely divided time when people’s opinions varied but the “other side” wasn’t so despised that their voices were deemed unworthy to be heard and ignored or shut down?

Country rock superstar Charlie Daniels believes there is.

In his latest Soapbox column he notes that the two most recent presidents “are probably the most polarizing figures to hold the office in over a century, and both have a sizable contingency of dedicated followers, firmly convinced that there is no middle ground, that it is a winner take all scenario, a never give an inch, ‘hooray with our side and to hell with yours’ attitude. Fanned by the hyperbolic and asinine remarks of ambitious politicians who pander to any and all.”

“This situation, although intolerable now, will surely reach a fever pitch in the coming months of no holds barred campaigning and by the time the actual election rolls around the bloody campaign trail will be littered with the bodies of the ‘also-rans,’ victims of the better-spoken, better-financed, who cared not at all for the [veracity] of their acidic remarks nor the reputations or permanent damage done to any opponent who dared stand between them and the power they seek,” says Daniels.

“The truly dangerous part of this national conundrum is the hate it generates, the belief that it is our obligation to despise the ‘other side’, that their opinions are not even worthy to be heard and should be suppressed and shouted down instead of being fairly aired in the arena of ideas, both sides weighed and evaluated by all voters in the constitutionally mandated process of one person, one vote, to be decided in the privacy of the ballot box and counted in a fair and impartial way,” he writes.

“Where does it end? I honestly don’t know. But this I do know. It would serve the nation well for both sides to stick to the issues, dial back the name-calling and personal insults, the groundless accusations, the vendettas and the making of promises that are impossible to fulfill.”

He believes that’s possible.

“Once in a while, something happens that pulls us together, that brings home the fact of how precious our country is to us and that no candidate or political party deserves our allegiance as much as our nation does, that we need to find some common ground and stand on it, politics be damned.

“I don’t know when, I don’t know how, I don’t know what, but we will, at some time in the future experience such an event and realize just how far we have drifted from God and the principles that made this nation what it is.

“We can find the way back, but it leads through repentance and common sense,” he writes.

He quotes the Bible: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

Daniels, 82, has been honored for his gospel music, Southern rock anthems and country hits.

He started out in the bluegrass genre with the Misty Mountain Boys and moved to Nashville in 1967. Elvis Presley recorded a tune Daniels co-wrote titled “It Hurts Me,” which was released on the flip side of “Kissin’ Cousins.” He played on such landmark albums as Bob Dylan’s “Nashville Skyline.”

He started the Charlie Daniels Band in 1972, and among the many hits he’s known for are “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America” and his signature, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

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