Angry people aren't very happy

   As Yogi Berra most likely didn’t say, “There’s a lot of angry people out there and not all of them are happy.”

   From reading many of the local and national online posts lately, the hostilities seem to be rising. And, yes, thank you, I do realize that all of

the aforementioned online posts are, in fact, global postings. In other words, what you post online at www.highlandcountypress.com just might be read in Constantinople or Timbuktu (provided they have wi-fi.)

   Those commenting from the so-called Right have tendencies to offer criticism of the so-called Left. Not surprisingly, those from the Left

criticize those from the Right.

   In too many cases, the arguments of both sides appear to be textbook from their respective national party talking points. That’s too bad. You do

get online points for originality.

   After looking at politics for many years now, I’m almost afraid to admit that Chase Prather of West Union summed it all up pretty well for me. It

wasn’t nearly as complicated as I’d thought.

   One afternoon about 10 years ago, Chase and I discussed the politics of the day in his office at Prather’s IGA, home of the best fried chicken in

Adams County.

   Chase had concluded that the vast majority of all voters choose the same politics as their parents.

   “Ryan,” he said, “If your parents were registered Republicans, so were you. If your parents were registered Democrats, so were you.” So went

Chase’s logic.

   By and large, he’s probably right. (Aside from those “mixed marriages!”)

   To this day, I do not know if Chase Prather ever had a political preference. And it doesn’t really matter.

   What does matter, in my opinion, is that members of each party keep their respective houses in order.

   In other words, instead of relying on the all-too-typical party-line rhetoric, why not try a more independent tack? Americans, after all,

celebrate Independence Day for this 234-year-old Republic each July 4.

   We don’t celebrate Dependence Day. We don’t celebrate What Can Others Do For Me Day? We don’t celebrate My Party’s Better Than Your Party Day. We celebrate Independence Day. Let’s act like it.

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   • Among a few of the recent local rants which gave me a well-needed moment of laughter this week were two online postings at

www.highlandcountypress.com.

   Both individuals accused me of “censorship.” And both parties had their respective inaccuracies posted for all the world to see.

   Highland County Commissioner Shane Wilkin was among the first of many to point out the irony.

   I would explain the definition of censorship to these “bloggers,” but they are a lot like high school freshmen: They already know everything.

   For the record, censorship refers to an authorized public official prohibiting free speech. It does not not refer to a newspaper editing

obviously inappropriate comments.

   That’s why you do not see newspapers (credible ones, anyway) publishing such comments. As I’ve said many times, if the writer cannot maintain a modicum of civility, he or she can expect his or her comments to be omitted. It’s as simple as that. However, in the most recent claim of “censorship,”

all comments were posted.

   (Sometimes you just gotta laugh when these columns write themselves.)

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   • For those who’ve occasionally questioned my political party preference, I’ll repeat: I really don’t have one.

   I have publicly endorsed candidates from each of the two major parties, as well as an Independent or two. Most of those endorsements I still stand by; a few, I regret.

   Personally, I’m still waiting for a party that champions America’s constitutional republic form of government, with limited interference (and taxation) in the lives of private citizens and with a genuine support for states’ rights and local rights. It’s been a while since I’ve seen anything like that – and I’m not holding my breath.

   To borrow from President Thomas Jefferson, “A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned – this is the sum of good government.”

   In my lifetime, Washington elitists from both parties cannot be found guilty of being either wise or frugal.

   Nor can the national press, for that matter.

   After watching President Obama lob out the first pitch on Opening Day in Washington, D.C. this week, and after reading the news reports, I had to chuckle.

   When President George W. Bush threw out the first pitch on Opening Day in Cincinnati a few years ago, he received a very positive ovation from fans in attendance. The Associated Press reported that President Bush received applause from this city with a “Republican majority.”

   The fact was – and is – that Cincinnati is an overwhelmingly Democratic city. A quick call to the Hamilton County Board of Elections will confirm this. It is a fact. Period.

   The AP did not report that Hamilton County is Republican leaning or that southern Ohio or the Midwest favors the GOP. Nope. The AP said Cincinnati has a Republican majority. It doesn’t. But the reporter just had to editorialize, perhaps in an effort to discount the presidential applause.

   This week, when President Obama threw out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals’ opener, he was cheered by most and booed by some in attendance. I could not find an AP story that reported “Obama was booed in this city with a Democrat majority.” (Not that I expected to.)

   It would seem to me that President Bush being cheered in a Democrat city and President Obama being booed in another Democrat city would be worthy of equal reporting. But what do I know?

   Lastly, to those in both parties who are displeased with the current political landscape in Washington, the question is this: Will you Remember in November?

   Rory Ryan is publisher and editor of The Highland County Press.