This is a response to the Guest Column written by Paul deWitt and printed in The Bulletin on July 11.

The United States is my country, and I am proud of the ideals that it represents. I agree that Kathy Griffin’s headless president and other left wing actions are not only inappropriate, but wrong from any viewpoint. However, to only identify one side in this problem as the culprit leads us down a dead end street and will never lead us to the kind of dialog and discourse we need in this country.

On the 4th of July I could sing “God Bless America” because I can separate the “land that I love” from the man who is leading us now. But let me be very clear; I am not proud to have Donald Trump as my president. Patriotism does not lead me to believe that I must somehow overlook the gross shortcomings of the president of the United States. For when you talk about uncivil behavior, may I remind you that the uncivil speech and vitriol that you see does not just belong to the left. There is a constant barrage of uncivil language coming from the White House almost daily. From calling those seeking to immigrate to the United States vermin and animals to berating our most trusted allies, this president is beyond the pale in his hateful speech.

This kind of language is embarrassing to me as an American. And while I would never wear a shirt with profanity about anyone, I can understand the disgust people feel when they see the president speak in that manner. I believe, however, that it is important to remember that in any disagreement there are two sides. By simply accusing one side of being at fault does not further the discussion and just increases the gulf between the two.

You may call the president’s speech a breath of fresh air, releasing us from being “politically correct,” but I see it as debasing us in the eyes of the world. Political correctness is more than calling a minority by another name. Political correctness is the basis of civil discourse and respectful dialog between two opposing viewpoints. There is a difference between speaking your mind and allowing your speech to dishonor, degrade and humiliate others. I do not want my speech or actions ever to degrade another human being, and that is why I disagree with Maxine Waters’ language, the verbal attacks on our officials who are dining out with their families and the ugly rhetoric coming from both sides. But I believe that Donald Trump is contributing to the normalization of this uncivil behavior. Over the past three years, I have seen the president attack, debase and dishonor anyone with whom he disagrees creating a climate of vindictive, brutal and nasty speech.

Our democracy depends on our ability to have dialogue with one another, dialogue which allows us to exchange opinions and ideas in which we deeply believe. If we choose to attack the person who does not see the world as we do, we will lose the ability to ever reach common ground. And common ground is the rich soil in which new ideas and new knowledge grows. The left is not to blame for the uncivil climate in which we live, but it contributes. The right is not to blame either. But our leadership is not leading us to recognize the importance of civility, kindness and respect for one another. Therefore we, as a people who believe in the great experiment of the United States, must find a way to do this on our own.

— Gaye Lawson lives in Bend