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Theres a lot of feuding going on without reason
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I was watching an episode of Andy Griffith the other day - yeah I enjoy the show despite its slowness with today's culture - and was struck by a conversation Andy had with two feuding parties.

Sheriff Taylor was trying to get to the root of the Hatfield and McCoys type feud and learned something interesting. The conversation went like this:

Mr. Carter: "The reason, sheriff? Of course I know the reason I'm shooting at him."

Andy: "Well, how come?"

Mr. Carter: "Because he's a Wakefield."

Andy: "Well, what does that mean to you?"

Carter: "It means I gotta shoot at him."

Andy: "Well, why do you have to shoot at him."

Carter: "Because he's a Wakefield."

Andy: "Well, why do you have to shoot at the Wakefields?"

Carter: "Because we're feuding."

Andy: "Well, why are you feuding?"

Carter: "Because he's a Wakefield."

Andy: "You know, I don't believe you're understanding me. Now let's start all over again. I want to know why you're feuding with the Wakefields."

Carter: "Oh, because we're shooting at each other."

It seems that nobody bothered to tell the Wakefields or the Carters why the feuding occurred. They just accepted that that's what they do.

We can laugh at that but it seems like this is a lesson for other feuds we are seeing.

Democrats versus the Republicans.

Conservatives versus liberals.

Left versus right.

Neo-Nazis versus blacks.

Muslims versus the Christians.

North Korea versus the United States.

Media versus Trump.

Some of the feuding seems to defy logic.This camp attacks this camp. That camp attacks this camp.

All we heard for months was Russian collusion, Russian collusion, Russian collusion. Nothing came of it but hours of TV attempts to bash Trump.

When Trump got tough with a nuclear trigger-happy South Korea instead of lauding his tough stance, the media played on how "dangerous" he was. No doubt the media would have sung a different tune had Obama uttered the same threats. Obama would have been declared bold and fearless. But to a Trump hating media, the president is declared spewing dangerous rhetoric and suggesting he couldn't folow through. Lo and behold, when Trump was successful in getting Korea to back down, they went onto something new to make hay over: his accurate remarks that both sides were to blame for violence in Virginia. This came after he denounced the white supremacists!
In response, black Missouri state Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal said she hoped Trump is assassinated.

It seems some have just gone over the civility cliff and it just seems to get crazier and crazier. It's like the world has forgotten about common courtesy, reasoning with one another and treating one another with respect even if we disagree. I never grew up being taught that if you disagree with someone, wish for them to be murdered.

On Monday the eclipse seemed to stop all the crazy bickering if only for minutes, or hours. One event reminded us we are all inhabitants of the same planet and, in a sense, we were awed by an act of nature or an act of God himself.

It was nice. It was civil. It was peaceful and refreshing.
We need more of it. We need to love others.

Hopefully it doesn't require another eclipse.

Do you have any feedback about this column? Let Jeff know by emailing him at jeffb@cerescourier.com. He will read it, promise.