Editor, Ceres Courier,

I agree with most of what you said (in the column "Things seem sane in Ceres compared to the rest of the country" published Sept. 20) and have actually went back and forth online with a number of people about the various issues you touched on. The only part that I don't really agree with is the religious piece.

You don't need to be religious in order to understand that our society is quickly becoming a mindless it's-all-about-me generation. Social media plays a big role in it as do news outlets like CNN. I am not religious in the slightest yet I can listen to differing points of view, understand that free speech goes both ways - that you can agree with something someone says without validating their entire message and still disagree with other points.
I have been a registered Democrat for about 22 years. I recently switched to Republican since California doesn't allow Democrats to vote for the Republican candidate in the primaries. I also voted for Trump and for the first time actually researched every single law and regulation I voted on. I never watched Fox News until this election and was only really turned to them because of how CNN was covering Trump. I would watch his speeches and listen to the commentary on CNN only to see that what he said wasn't what they were talking about. They instead were twisting everything that he said, taking things out of context and spitting some racist, sexist rhetoric that they basically fabricated as truth.

Fox News isn't perfect either but to my surprise for the most part they reported what was said without the interjection. Sure, they have their opinions on what each candidate said but from my experience they didn't twist what was said into something that it wasn't. As an example when Trump stated Mexico wasn't giving us their best, that rapists and murderers were crossing the border as well, CNN instantly went with "Trump calls Mexicans rapists and murderers" when in reality that's not what he said.

As for the religion piece, IMO people use it as a scapegoat and unjustly give personal accomplishments undue credit to religion. Nobody is a success because of religion (aside from mega-churches), nobody is saved from a tornado or hurricane because of religion, nobody has more athletic talent than someone else because of religion etc. It's time people gave themselves and the people around them credit for the things they accomplish and put full blame on themselves for things that don't work out. That term, "Treat others as you expect to be treated" needs to be instilled in everyone again and our school system needs to leave politics at the door.

Without the ability to be different and accepted you end up with radicals who hunt down people who are different with or without religion.

Daniel Arendt,
Ceres

LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the editor will be considered for publication but must be signed and include an address and phone number. Letters should be 250 words or less and be void of libel. Send to The Ceres Courier, 138 S. Center Street, Turlock CA 95380 or emailed to jeffb@cerescourier.com.