I don’t think there’s any debating that the United States is currently experiencing an unprecedented level of division among its citizens.
And I don’t think it’s a secret that the vast majority of that divisiveness is politically charged. I also don’t think either “side” can point a finger at the other, because both are responsible for creating and sustaining the division.
As a woman I know recently said, “nothing gets people more riled up and ready to fight than politics.”
Roger that.
I’m old enough (plenty old enough) to remember when it was possible (and at times even enjoyable) for people with different viewpoints to have worthwhile politically-oriented conversation. But nowadays, that’s very rare, because there’s simply no longer any middle ground. It’s all about “I’m right and you’re wrong, and that’s all there is to it.”
Bias is the fuel and anger is the vehicle. Opinion is the currency and subjugation is the market.
Check out any news outlet, whether online or broadcast, and you’ll find wild politically-directed statements and crude name calling, sometimes crossing the line from impetuous and unrestrained to downright reckless and crazy.
And the boundaries widen daily. The nonsense isn’t limited to the “major” issues but is rampant no matter the scope. And it’s not based on any particular “agenda” or religious viewpoint (although I would say it’s clear there’s an ongoing tendency to reduce the influence of Christian values the U.S. was founded upon), it’s just a common mode of operation utilized in almost every nook and cranny of political banter, regardless of who’s doing the bantering.
And make no mistake, this division has wide-ranging ramifications that go well beyond the boundaries of internal strife and discord. It certainly doesn’t help America’s prospects of prosperously dealing with the seemingly countless troublesome global circumstances involving China, the Middle East, Ukraine and many, many other countries, regions and organized groups of people.
I don’t recall exactly how the old saying goes, but it’s basically, “if you can’t take care of your own affairs, how can you expect to take care of the affairs of others?” Right now, we in the U.S. don’t have a clue how to maintain civility and decency among ourselves, so it’s kind of absurd that we would think we can – or should – offer valuable advice or assistance elsewhere.
Anyway, as much as I wish I felt differently, I don’t expect an American “revival,” with people gathering around the campfire, locking arms and singing “Kumbaya, My Lord.” No, I expect more of the same, with most people staying entrenched in their political foxholes and not many showing interest in fruitful discussion or compromise.
That’s the reality of the present, and there doesn’t appear to be anything on the horizon that’s going to change that – like who’s in what office or what political faction is “in charge.”
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald. Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.
