Last evening I was at a party. I enjoyed my time there immensely, and it was at a beautifully restored farmhouse in the country. It is an annual event that we were invited to last summer, but for some reason or another, we were unable to attend. Several dozen people enjoyed a large spread of food, including booyah (a local favorite), the beer trailer, fireworks and a giant fire pit raging with a great pile of wood. There were about a dozen people that I had met before and a few close friends who meet monthly for a roving campfire group that meets all Spring, Summer and Fall as well as part of the Winter for great conversation, visiting with old friends and meeting new ones.
Everything was going great until I approached the garage, where the food was set up. In addition to a large banner stating "You Are In Steeler Country!" (which I cannot tell you how out of place that is in our normally staunch Green Bay Packer Fan country), there were several political signs that made me feel a bit unwelcome.
Liberal bashing is apparently becoming trendy, but it seems that some people forget how to abide by the rules of a democracy. When your side loses, you have to accept the consequences. I have held the same values and many of the same opinions since before most of the right-leaning activist groups touting inflammatory rhetorical statements as reason enough for their existence and dubious "evidence" as "proof" that we are on the road to ruin, were formed. In all my years of voting, the first time that the person I voted for got elected was this last Presidential Election. Talk about taxation without representation! I should be the one jumping up and down yelling "We need to take our country back." In our culture however, majority rules, or at least it is supposed to. The revolution that can only take place in the voting booth has occurred, get used to it. When the popular vote went to Al Gore, say what you may, the public's will was overthrown by the Electoral College. The majority has been seeking change for quite some time, they have only now wrested the power of the White House to help beat back the greedy elites that have dictated policies for the last half century.
"Deport Liberals" was the most ridiculous and perhaps the most upsetting sign that I saw hanging in the garage. As if there is something less American about people who believe in the same founding documents and the same process that we deem American, but have a different view about how to assure liberty, freedom and security. I am struck by the similarity that politics is taking to the old ways that bullies took to win at any cost when we played "friendly" games of ball as children. If the rules change to meet their needs and are designed at a moment's notice to allow them to win, how long can the charade last? I began hating baseball when bullies brought their baggage to the game. Eventually, no one wants to play with you. Win at all costs can't possibly be worth it if you have to sacrifice your morals or your standing amongst nations of the world. Isolationism never works in a democracy.
One of the reasons that I developed an interest in politics is because I was told that in that realm, one would win or lose on their merits, their intellect and their astute observations of society, the ability to understand it's ills and by finding ways to create a more perfect union, meeting the needs of many through efforts of the few, as well as protecting and meeting the needs of the most vulnerable few by the deeds of many. I actually studied democratic values, civics they called it back then. I have read historical accounts, studies and scientific reports, gleaned data from countless Blue Books, done the difficult tasks of knocking on doors, raising public awareness of issues that impact our lives daily and occasionally thought about running for office, but somehow I deserve to be deported? For doing my best? For developing an acute sense of what is truly screwed up in our land? For treating others the way I would like to be treated?
Those who refuse to consider my position valid may choose to assault my beliefs this way. I however, do not deserve to be painted with such a wide brush. Astute observation can reveal truth, but people who jump to conclusions regardless of evidence, cannot be allowed to have their lies stand. Those who deny evidence that Saddam Hussein was right about slant wells coming from Kuwait into Iraqi oil fields, which started the first Gulf War, still believe that terrorists threaten U.S. "interests". Their math skills are seriously deficient. The death toll of innocents killed by our forces dwarfs the numbers killed in all terrorist incidents (including homegrown terror) combined. These same, "righteous" followers of fiction turn their wrath on "liberals" for leading our country to ruin. This just turns my stomach.
Conservatives have eviscerated our collective conscience. This in turn creates spiritual scars that may remain for centuries. Perhaps it is they who need to either: "Love America or Leave It." The tide has finally turned in favor of the little guy, or so it seems. Identifying with the captors is an age old tradition in slave circles, but We the People need to remember that we all have a lot more in common with other wage slaves than we do with the aristocracy that welds it's power against us. If we allow others to dictate the terms of our arguments, or forget that they will always defend one another, no matter how awful their behavior, leaves us to toil at their behest forever. Our system of government is supposed to give us power, not keep us captive. The tables have been turned however, to make us believe that we are free, while our liberties are stripped away. We are constantly told that we enjoy free choice, while our desires are manipulated and corrupted. The American dream has been bought and sold to the highest bidder and we are left with crumbs. The extreme fascination with positive thinking, psychology, body image and self-help are all reflections of our perceived lack of self worth. Can we afford to overlook the part this plays in our society? We have endless ways in which to hate our selves, but people in charge know that this is just a first step to hating others. The reason that I stand up and refuse my consent to be made into an enemy is because I believe in democratic principles. I believe in the concept that all men and women are created equal. No greater expression of self respect can be made than to respect another.
I honor the right of others to disagree, but do not abide people demonizing others either. When we use fictitious pigeon-holes to segregate people into deserving and undeserving categories, we also debase ourselves. Our country, if it is to remain a beacon of hope for the oppressed masses around the globe, must not undermine the high aspirations of our founders. We must hold to the spirit of the words that they penned over two hundred years ago. In a free society, we must all be allowed the freedom to make mistakes. We must regain freedom of thought, association, and belief, even if that puts us at odds with others. We must also be willing to engage our opposition in constructive discussion rather than combative rhetoric. If we base our belief in the need for change on lies and deception, the change we welcome will be dark and oppressive. Seeking truth must be an all out assault on ignorance, tempered with compassion and understanding of everyone, even those we may disagree with. I am a friend of free thought and a defender of liberty. Those who would write me off as a single word, and deny my right to freedom will not be free for their hate and lies will consume them. I truly hope that the close-minded reactionaries come to their senses before they ruin what may very well be our last chance to right the ship of state that has foundered in rocky times.
Our "ship of state" is in trouble. I offer my words as an inspiration start to bailing, if enough people band together, we might get it right. Working together always gets more done than toiling in isolation or putting down those you do not agree with or understand. Rather than being cheerleaders for a dubious "cause", screaming slogans that don't make sense, what we need is a true political rebirth, one that allows us to grow beyond the us-them schism and learn to honor and respect one another. The urge to kick people out needs to be replaced with the goals of getting rid of hateful ideas and rhetoric. Our nation needs to concern itself with eliminating greed which has the power to override good sense. Our people need to come together and make a plan for ending our reliance on dangerous and violent ways of getting our "needs" met and we need to set our sights higher than putting down the other guy, because that will always diminish us. The race to the bottom needs to end and we need to respect the rights that we all had, that have been taken away by fear mongering and deceit.
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