Like many Americans, I spend too much time arguing politics on social media. I try not to get nasty about it, which includes reliance upon simplistic memes or dogma over the best information. Yet recently, it has become more difficult to keep open communication between "progressive" and "conservative" contacts, the latter of which have recently been denying my status as "American" because of my criticism of the policies of our president. I grant that the last couple of years have shaken my faith, both for personal and intellectual reasons, in due process, checks and balances, the ability to stem the influence of the power/wealth elite and the value of truth itself. Yet as I look at American history, I realize that grappling with the various aspects of our government and culture define what it is to be American. Ultimately, to seek the best information, and to criticize based upon that information - coupled to one's values - is to be an active citizen, and the health of our republic demands no less. Yet it also demands that we remember that our fellow Americans are our neighbors and should be treated as such. Let us disagree with sensitivity and care for our neighbors as if we were chatting over the fence or at the local pub. Courtesy does not necessitate compromise. There are issues that demand a strength of opinion, that demand a refutation of compromise. Disagreements can help us to refine our perspective, even if does not change minds. None of this is served through vitriol. James Cimino Schenectady...