Quite a contrast

Last week was an interesting one — a week of contrasts, with the news channels coverage ranging from mean-spirited, mud-slinging, personal slams involving some campaigning politicians and their supporters on one hand.

On the other hand was the inspiring, uplifting rescue of the 33 miners trapped in an underground Chilean mine. The latter reflected the best of human nature, ingenuity, leadership, and international cooperation.

We used to call the final weeks of political campaigning the “silly season.” This year the final weeks have been marked by intemperate remarks and charges by some candidates and their backers.

If all the allegations were true, the voters would have to choose from among liars, bigots, racists, spendthrifts, misers, Nazi types, traitors, a witch, a Marxist, religious extremists, left wing extremists, right wing radicals, tree huggers, hawks, doves, pollution backers, drinkers, druggies, Wall Street pawns, tax hikers, rabble rousers and numerous other promoters of mischief and bureaucratic chicanery. Some choice, eh?

Fortunately, we do have better choices. Candidates who are decent, law abiding, conscientious Americans who may have differing opinions on some issues, but who share a common desire for peace, justice, responsibility and prosperity.

Listen closely. As the rhetoric heats up, sometimes the voice of reason seems hard to hear over the chaos and cacophonous clamor of the loudest zealots.

Thankfully, much of the political brouhaha was preempted by the news coverage of the miners’ rescue. Just watching those miners brought to the surface in a specially designed capsule and seeing them greeted enthusiastically by family members and others was an emotional experience in itself.

I think most viewers had to be moved to tears, or a lump in the throat, or a tingling backbone.

As the capsule neared the surface, the background siren sounded as if it were a repetitive musical chorus proclaiming “Joy, joy, joy, joy, joy, joy” over and over and over.

And so it was.