The Ability to Give Admonition, not Condemnation, is What is Needed

   Somehow, I don't think the Flint water crisis was Susan Hedman's fault. I became a little uncomfortable the other night listening to a sound bite of Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz laying so much guilt on her.
   Some fault might have been hers, but she did not deserve the grilling, the withering criticism Chaffetz dealt the Environmental Protection Agency official.
   No, it was not kind.
   I could not help but think of another national figure who deals out such biting, zinging criticism: the Donald. Trump's tendency to find so much fault is a large reason I oppose him in his run for the presidency.
   But, as I listened to Chaffetz, I realized Trump is not alone. Unfortunately, we, as Americans are much inflicted with this malady. And, it is reflected in politicians as diverse as Trump and Chaffetz. Maybe as much as anything, deciding who to vote for should be a matter of picking a candidate who does not display this tendency. America has some big problems  -- the economy, the national debt, our health care system, immigration, etc.  -- but polarization ranks as high as anything, to me.
   So, why not make this a defining reason for not voting for someone?
   I suppose it was only a couple weeks ago, the thought of looking for the ability to love in candidates occurred to me. I laughed inside myself at the thought. Now, how do you go about determining which candidate has the greater capacity to love? And, does that really matter as much as their stands on abortion and green house emissions?
   I see now, it does.
   I think on this Susan Hedman, and how she was vilified by Chaffetz, perhaps brought to tears. I felt sorry for her, I do not think her the villain she was given to be. I would guess she is a wonderful person. I do not know why we, as Americans, feel the need to tear each other apart so much.
   Pick a fault, and poke a stick. Get that stick inside the other person and twist it around, and do some real damage. We, as Americans, seem to see the necessity of this.
   One way to turn this around, would be to start looking for it in our politicians, and resolving not to elect them. Those we elect become our leaders, obviously. And, there is a circular effect. Who we elect, will lead us. They will influence us in what we become. Let's not elect those who have mastered the art of scorn, who fire off zingers at each other. Don't get me wrong, There is a place for criticism. Faults should be discussed. Hedman's failures should be discussed.
   But, civility is never so important as it is when we are finding faults in others. The ability to give admonition, not condemnation, that is what we should look for in our leaders.