In the modern western TV series "Yellowstone," the character John Dutton battles enemies who threaten the future of his beloved ranch which has nourished the pocketbooks and souls of his family for generations. As the saga unfolds and Dutton faces a crossroads, his son urges him not to make a "deal with the devil." Dutton flatly replies, "All the angels are gone, son. There's only devils left."
Modern American politics too often reflects similar dark sentiments. The seething disdain with which many political leaders and their enablers currently view the other side has made yesterday's version of polarization seem quaint.
The difference between seeing the opposition as evil — rather than just wrong, ill-informed or naive — is not a small distinction. If in our politics each side sees themselves as combating an evil that poses an existential threat to the future of our country, there's no limit to the dark tactics, behaviors and alliances we can rationalize.
While aspects of the current pandemic will be debated for years to come, one thing is clear: All the angels are not gone.
We see them everywhere every day. Nurses, doctors, volunteers, first responders, researchers, service employees, other front-line workers and family members are providing heroic services that affirms the goodness within people. Their kindness does not rise or fall based on their political views or the views of the people they serve.
Maybe their example can inspire more of us to do our part to improve our politics in America.
People who don't share our political views are simply fellow citizens who have life experiences and perspectives different from our own. They are not all evil operatives intent on destroying America as we know it.
Politics, of course, has its share of people who are up to no good and they often get much of the attention. But they're not the majority. Most Americans are decent people with common sense and good hearts — and we can all take a couple of simple steps to improve America's political climate.
