Tired of the political hate speech | Letter

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In his Aug. 1 Portland Press Herald op-ed (“While Maine Democrats fell apart, Republicans got to work”), Jim Deyermond wrote: “The Soviet-style convention that resulted in Jackson … winning 99% of cheering delegates, waving Jackson signs and wearing Jackson shirts, is a piece of propaganda even Stalin could be proud of.”  “Soviet-style convention” and “even Stalin could be proud of?”  Really?

I don’t know if Deyermond’s intention was to preach to his base, induce independents, undeclared and undecided Democrats to consider a vote for Sen. Susan Collins, or just to engage in the all-too -popular tactic (employed by members of all parties) to smear the opposition in order to boost his candidate.

Is this how the leadership of a major political party must speak? I may be in a minority, but I’m tired of such speech.

Contrast this with the calm, reasoned case against Section 219 of the National Defense Authorization Act (“Israeli military integration measure has no place in annual defense bill”) by Brian Garrison at the bottom of the same page. Garrison acknowledges the points of view of both advocates and opponents. He lays out a case that is neither argumentative nor biased, and leaves the reader with food for thought.

Eric Mihan
Kennebunk

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Tagged: election 2026, letter to the editor, senate 2026