So What Happened?

"A party can live only by growing. Intolerance of ideas brings its death."

These words were spoken by Republican Senator Albert Beveridge of Indiana in 1910.

"If a majority can exclude the whole or a part of the minority because it deems the political views entertained by them hurtful, then free government is at an end."

These words were spoken by Charles Evans Hughes in 1920. Mr. Hughes was a prominent attorney, Governor of New York, US Supreme Court Justice, Secretary of State and a Presidential nominee - all under the Republican party banner.

These words of wisdom were spoken by leaders who knew that inclusiveness is much more representative of the needs of the people than a rigid doctrine of ideas that alienates a high percentage of the American citizenry.

So what happened? Values and principles are important - regardless of your political views, however it is counterproductive when any group, organization or party dictates how you should live - from the right or from the left.

Though the right should look at their history which recently they have limited to Lincoln and Reagan - the left could heed these words as well.