Gorelick blasts political extremism
United States Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick last night criticized the growing extremism of the political debates in which government officials and the general population engage in a speech last night. Gorelick discussed "Political Rhetoric and Public Perception," with about 65 students and faculty in Collis Commonground. She said extreme rhetoric "dehumanizes and demonizes" the opposition rather than "illuminate[s] the issues." An ideal political debate is one in which people with opposing ideas can freely and equally discuss prevalent issues in a climate of respect "using democracy as a process to work together" to find solutions, she said. She said while Americans have the right to speak freely, with that right comes responsibility. Gorelick said the extremism of political debates both in the United States and internationally can sometimes lead people to carry out extreme actions . For example, she said, the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin stemmed in part from the hateful rhetoric of the opposition.