The lesser of two evils ... is still evil!(EDITOR'S PAGE)

In what seems to be a chicken-and-egg sort of question, the U.S. presidential race--as well as our civility toward each other--have hit new lows. Are the dirty tricks that both parties are playing "trickling down" to the population at large? Or are we truly so divided as a country that this grass roots hatred is simply manifesting itself on the highest stage?

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

I find it frustrating to try to discuss any sort of political issue these days, because people are so ingrained in what their "side" is force-feeding them on TV or radio, they don't take the time to use any critical thinking in regards to the issue. Nope, sound bites are what it's all about. Depending upon whom you talk to, either Michael Moore or Rush Limbaugh is the antichrist ... while the other one is generally regarded as brilliant and the only one really speaking the truth.

I think both men are very dangerous types, in that they are so far from the center, they refuse to even listen (much less process) any reasoning from the other side. A little bit more admitting that they're not always right (and that their party isn't always right) would go a long way in convincing me to listen to their points.

How have we reached this point? Bush and Kerry (or their respective campaigns) continue to blast each other for things done decades ago, when each one was a young man. How many of us have ...