Dear Editor:

The advice comes from many, including local journalists, anti-Trump conservative David Frum, Rob Goodman’s Politico article advising that, thanks to Trump, there are no unwritten rules in American politics, and even described in David Faris’ new book, where he says it’s time to fight dirty.

The bottom line to all of this advice is to fight Trump using Trump’s same hate-filled tactics. Before the election I wrote an article stating that if voters were only choosing a candidate based on the “least of two evils,” then only evil wins.

If it is true the American people see no rules applying in politics, what is the advantage if we are left out while all candidates are “fighting dirty?”

I learned a long time ago that two wrongs don’t make a right. You might want to ask yourself “When are fighting words without merit?” Is this how war works? Capitalism is based on the principle of individual rights, and the fundamental cause of lasting peace is honesty, which is refusal to pretend facts are not valid.

Eric Levitz of New York magazine has argued that broad use of executive powers is laying the groundwork for an “imperial socialist presidency.” If his advice is to follow Trump’s style where does that lead the Democrats?

Much of the advice is based on a voiced GOP desire for a lasting partisan advantage. David Faris even offered a way to break out 16 new states to achieve this advantage.

The logic of escalation is “Do it to them before they do it to us.” Is this the logic of war, not the logic of peace? If we take this path, life gets worse each time. One GOP writer said “Fighting fair is for suckers.” Maybe fighting is what draws suckers in. Science says lasting relationships come down to kindness.

Have inhabitants been wronged so much that we believe it is right to break all rules of kindness, including the Golden Rules of life? I hope not.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb