When did disagreeing start requiring us all to be disagreeable with one another?

Two days from now, voters will head to the polls to choose from a litany of candidates, fees and options.

In Ironton, one of the biggest issues on the ballot is the future of the Ironton City Schools. A sizable tax levy on the ballot would construct three new, state-of-the-art school building, but would require the demolition of the historic high school building. Needless to say the issue is fairly controversial.

Bring up the subject of the levy in a crowded room and you're almost certain to start a squabble.

One would think that in the year 2005 we could be civil about such matters and agree to disagree and work to see one another's point to find a happy medium.

Nope.

We will not have any of that here in Lawrence County.

The same could be said for the Ironton Municipal Court judge's race. Calling it the &#8220Ironton” race isn't completely fair as tons of county residents fall within the court's district, too.

Supporters of incumbent Judge O. Clark Collins Jr. and challenger Kevin J. Waldo can also get pretty disagreeable with one another without much provocation.

Like most things that are wrong in the world, the liberals among us would figure out a way to blame this disagreeable-itis on President George Bush.

I suspect we could go back to his post-9/11 speech in which he coined the new meaning for the phrase &#8220axis of evil.” Essentially, George said, &#8220If you aren't with us, you're against us.” Period. No middle ground exists.

Yep, that's it, let's blame W for our lack of the kindergarten skill, &#8220playing well with others.”

OK, doing that would just be an easy cop out; besides, sometimes I like Bush so I wouldn't want to saddle the man with another problem.

At some point, the civility stops and our true, animal nature takes over. I think some folks among us like to fight. But others just like being &#8220right” so much that they put blinders on to seeing another person's point of view.

And that's a shame because on Wednesday, when all of the votes are counted, we all have the same point of view again, just with a few more scars that need time to heal.

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Ironton Tribune. He can be reached by calling (740) 532-1441, ext. 12 or by e-mail to kevin.cooper@irontontribune.com.