After listening to Sen. John McCain's concession speech last week, I have hope that Americans can once again become less partisan and work together to build a stronger country. It would do well for every voter to read and compare the concession speeches of Al Gore, John Kerry and John McCain. Of the three, only McCain's speech attempted to heal this country's acrimony.

I hope this newspaper will discontinue the practice of giving space to columnists who spew their venom toward our new president like they have for our present one.

I certainly can't blame anyone for wanting payback, but I urge everyone to drop the incendiary language and petty imagery when criticizing our public officials. I hope those who disagree with our new president will do so with dignity and reason, and that those who read those criticisms will not seek to destroy those dissenters á la "Joe the Plumber." Maybe change can come to America, but it must start with the media, for they are the primary way ideas are exchanged in our modern world.

Doug Clemens, Bloomington