Declaring that our fellow Americans who are not conservative Republicans hate God, country, the flag, and apple pie is rather simplistic and a lot holier-than-thou.

Whether you are a liberal, conservative or in between, almost everyone has a relative or friend who disagrees with you about God and politics. We should ignore those who insult them or question their motive, patriotism, religious beliefs or no religious beliefs.

In an interview with Bill Moyers, Salman Rushdie said, “Free societies are dynamic, noisy, turbulent, and full of radical disagreement. You can’t cry foul when your ideas are challenged, even when you assert your ideas of God.”

Democrats do not hate the country, God or the flag. Republicans are not racists and misogynists. Others who disagree with us are not our enemies. They merely differ with us. And we should not tolerate those who cannot seem to understand this.

We like to be with others who think the same way, and that is okay, but do not condemn anyone else from thinking and doing differently.

Intolerance of others has no place in our country or religious beliefs. It is what our founding fathers wanted.

Sheri Powell

Andalusia