This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Republican Party has always been distrustful of large segments of American society, but in recent years this distrust seems to have devolved into pure hate. Republicans' intense hatred of President Obama is without precedent in U.S. history.
In addition to being anti-Obama, today's Republican Party aggressively pushes an agenda that is anti-black, anti-Hispanic, anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-worker, anti-poor, anti-education, anti-science, anti-environment, anti-health care and even anti-democracy.
This wave of hate seems to be largely funded by big corporate money from the likes of the Koch brothers, promoted by extremist groups such as the John Birch Society and the Eagle Forum and pundits like Limbaugh, Beck and Hannity.
Unfortunately, all these messages of hate are lapped up by Utah Republicans, who seem only too eager to believe the worst about anyone they perceive as being different.
So much for "love thy neighbor as thyself."
Blair Bateman
Provo