Ben Stein: Let Us Pledge Not to Give In to Hate

(CBS)  Is there room in this heated election year for at least one gesture of bipartisanship? Contributor Ben Stein thinks so.


I see that the GOP has recently announced a new "Pledge to America", trying to imitate the "Contract with America" that supposedly helped the party so much in 1994 (although I don't think it really did).

The "Pledge" is about taxes and spending mostly, and those are big subjects, let's not kid ourselves.

But I would like to see something bigger, and from both parties - and maybe from the Tea Partiers, too.

America faces, above all, a spiritual and moral crisis. We suffer from low morale because of the terrorism, the unending and unsuccessful wars, and the drawn-out, painful recession. The results have sometimes been morally and psychologically ugly.

So, herewith, a suggested Declaration of Conscience from all parties:

"This is a big country. It is a great country, filled with opportunities. It is the magnet for those all over the world who want a better life. And while we face grim challenges from many directions, we make this pledge:

"We became a great nation because we are an open, loving nation. Most of us believe in a loving God. Whether we are believers or atheists, we believe in the rights of all. We welcome all who respect the rights of every other American. We welcome and respect all who want the same opportunities and legal protections for all Americans.

"We are a busy people, we Americans - rebuilding our economy, defending ourselves, educating our children. We are far too busy to hate. We will not preach hate, sell hate, try to get elected by hate. We will follow our forefathers' example and only stoop to hate those who try to kill us. For those within our borders, unless they preach hate, our motto is always "Love thy neighbor." We can and we will disagree about almost everything, but we will not do it in a spirit of hatred based on religion or race or sexual orientation or wealth or poverty.

"If our enemies want to live by hate, that is their loss. But we are not going to imitate their hatred. We live by love of our fellow man, and they will not stop us."

That is my humble idea of a pledge that means something. And no, it is not original with me.

[doctordoc3]

noloyalisti, i will someday meet face to face with you. May God have mercy on your broken bone soul. Fill your hands you son of a *****.

[sherril987]

I have grown weary in the last decade, believing that no longer does there exist a moderate Republican, that the mere words, Moderation and Republicans have become mutually exclusive. Ben Stein has renewed my faith, at least a little. My research indicates that the original "Declaration of Conscience" was a speech made by Senator Margaret Chase Smith on June 1, 1950http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/margaretchasesmithconscience.html. Yet, Stein's is totally different than Smith's, so I do not know what he means by "it is not original with me."

[babooph]

Ben all your party has is fear ,greed & hate-why give up on what has worked so well for you?

[noloyalisti]

Don't even try to compare the Republikkklan and Democrats. Although the entire government is now run by giant corporation money and lobbyists, at least there are SOME good progressive Democrats.

If they are the same why are the corporate front groups like the US Chamber of Commerce giving ALL $400 million in this election to Republicans? The KKKlan say they hate the government but they want to work for it so they can personally profit.

[nightcandy]

Well... Implying that the Republican party and the KKK are equivalent? THAT wasn't in the least bit hateful or extreme.

/sarcasm

[oldbasicgal]

I think we should have a political candidate pledge, "I pledge allegiance to the United States People, and to the Republic and State in which they live. I pledge to be honest, forthright, humble, hardworking, and diligent. I pledge to spend their money conservatively, to use their time constructively, and to devote myself to the wellbeing of their country. I pledge myself not to a party nor a cause, but to doing what is best and proper for all of America."

[stevewerble]

Mr. Stein is a blemish on the otherwise wonderful Sunday Morning program. He should be fired!

[noloyalisti]

But Mr. Stein has to realize that people really, really don't like criminals like the Republican Party and their corporate bankster masters. They are causing people to die from lack of health care, children to live in poverty and killing the middle class of America.

While the filthy rich laugh all the way to their offshore banks, play golf and go sailing on their yachts.

[KeithDrippingSprings]

If you don't believe that your Democrats are just as despicable as the Republicans then nothing will change. They are all Scoundrels and Thieves. The Democrats have just as many friends in New York as the Republicans and they are all sold out. America is doomed and electing one bunch of liars over the others is not going to save us.

[Farver4girls]

I admire Mr. Stein for recognizing and trying to end hatred. I encourage Americans to stop hating people who belive and practice religions other than their own, including Mormon Fundamentalism and Islam.

[noloyalisti]

All you have to listen to is the violent, racist crazies on Fox Propaganda Channel like Beck and Hannity and O'Reilly to decide for yourself who is spreading hatred throughout America.

[superdem1]

A good place to start building anything would be for the Republicans to admit that their policies - and only their policies - were in effect for 8 full years, yes, that's right, 8 full years, protected by the Republican Senate's filibusters and the Bush Veto, and those policies directly resulted in the economic meltdown. If they could admit that, then maybe something could be done about working with them. But the cannot admit that, because it would put the lie to why anyone should vote for them NOW, when all they are going to do if they regain power is more of the Bush policies. So they will never come clean, they can never be trusted, so the Democrats would just be sentimental fools to let them off the hook for anything, especially since they are the ones saying NO to everything.

[reallypeople]

no matter how much you try to explain that bush created this mess his followers will never believe. a little reminicent of the whole nazi thing i'd say. even with the proof right in front of them they cant admit they were wrong