Columnist calls for civil resistance

Carolyn F. Mattoon, of Indivisible North Idaho, encourages moderates to become civilly active:

The 2016 election has divided families, friends and country into hostile camps of zealous devotees and opponents. We shout and brandish fists across a widening chasm. We’ve lost all capacity for civil, reasoned discussion or compromise. We insult “enemies” who are our family members, our friends and neighbors, our community. We become “unpatriotic”, and “un-American”, because of political disagreements.

Authoritarian propaganda tells us to avoid and disbelieve legitimate news sources. We limit our news sources on current events and ignore the lessons of history — if we ever bothered to learn them. Elected officials reject the art and science of governance to wall themselves off behind extremist positions. Party loyalty and ideological purity come before responsibility to country and constituency. By incessant fearmongering, the public is kept in a heightened state of alarm, susceptible to distortions and disinformation.