Stand up for common sense democracy

Back home, I looked up the acronym, D.S.A. and found it belonged to an organization called Democratic Socialists of America. Reading on, a link told me that the D.S.A. was meeting in Chicago that weekend and celebrating the birthday of the founder of communism, Vladimir Lenin. And I had just met one of his young soldiers in a suburban Jewel store!

Obviously, our country is more divided than ever. Simply because of my age, I could easily blame it on younger people like this millennial and others of his generation. But actually I know that it's misguided politicians of my era that have obstructed, prejudiced, bigoted and assaulted our nation into shards of political ideologies and labels.

My fear is the fringe. Like D.S.A. and the element on the far right that shouts "U.S.A.!" We in the moderate middle don't have a voice loud enough to shout out the Lenin celebrations on the left and the M.A.G.A. hysterics on the right.

We may not have a voice, but we have a vote. In November 2020 we must stand up for moderation, cooperation and compromise. We must elect leaders who believe in common sense democracy which is what the Founders believed in, fought for and risked their lives and fortunes to create.

Let's all reject the haters on the far fringes and move them back into the shadows where they belong. Let's put the spotlight on leaders in the middle of both parties who can use their heads and hearts to bring about a more perfect union.

I don't ever want to see another Russian (or Soviet) soldier when I go grocery shopping. Just good old American veterans whom we can thank for fighting to give us this wonderful nation.

W. Paul Pearce

Lake Barrington