Post by Admin on Jul 24, 2021 10:23:45 GMT -6
Originally posted to FaceBook July 20, 2020 - moved here July 24, 2021
In reading comments on several topics from both sides in recent days, I have come to the following realizations:
Those who identify as Democrats and are staunchly anti-Trump believe that we are currently living under fascism as evidenced by the racist, non-inclusive rhetoric coming from the White House, the Para-military style policing on Federal and Local levels and the continued plight of the underprivileged that has not improved. They believe that if the Republicans (Trump) win this election, that it will only be more of the same and continue to get worse and worse for our country going forward.
Those who identify as Republicans who support Trump believe that if the Democrats are successful in ousting him, that we will be subject to living under fascism as evidenced by the constant rhetoric that expensive programs will be rolled out for the benefit of all despite the effects on the budget, that police will be defunded with no real plan for law enforcement beyond that, that guns will be subject to registration at a minimum and that there will be preferential treatment to those of backgrounds or circumstances that have been identified as victims or oppressed in order to make up for their victim hood or oppression.
One side believes that if left unchecked the government will turn into a police state dictatorship (if it hasn't already for some citizens) and that certain Americans will never have the chance to succeed simply because of the circumstances of their birth. They are upset that ordinary citizens are brought to their knees by the government over things that the citizen cannot control. They believe it is the duty of the government to serve all people and to make sure that each can live a dignified and free life no matter what and if that cannot be, then America will fail.
The other side believes that if left unchecked the government can become a bureaucratic mess of ineptitude led by good intentions which takes in our tax dollars en masse and produces little, if anything, with it and ends up with only bad results. Further, that those programs will not be judged on success, but on intent and that the reason it didnt succeed was because it was underfunded. This leads to more and bigger oversight and spending until either deficits or taxes bring the ordinary citizen to their knees under a mountain of financial obligations and in doing so America will fail.
I'm not sure that either side is wrong. I'm not sure that either side is right. I know that there has to be a middle ground somewhere that includes financial responsibility as well as a government of service, but few seem willing to compromise in even the smallest fashion, because to them, the very fate of the country is at stake and to trade on a small thing is to give up on the big things.
That has to stop.
We need to find the things we all have in common. We need to communicate more openly and not rely on the mainstream media or the extremists on either far end to represent our views publicly. The country is in the midst of a broken relationship and half is prepared to divorce from the other, but we haven't taken the time to listen to one another and communicate.
Maybe it's time to do that. I know we can do it in small groups. I have done it here on several occasions. Why can't that be spread more? Why can't cancel culture be applied to those that are blocking the lines of communication and those behaving like children in the public eye? Instead, they are glorified and given a platform and divide us further.
I don't know how we step forward from here, heck, I dont even know where I'm going with this whole thing. I'm just randomly spewing from my brain.
We have drifted too far apart, driven by whatever it was that got us here. Things shouldn't be this divisive. How much of what you hold in your heart and in your mind is rhetoric and how much is real, actual experience? How valuable would it be to share from experience, hopefully without bias, and let others be educated and informed. Sure, some poor conclusions may be drawn, but another round of discussion should be imminent on those as well. This is how we build communities, relationships, bonds and its how we should build countries and consensus.
It's a long shot, but hey. Why the hell, not? Could it get any worse than it is right now? Let's take a moment to look inwardly and take stock of where our opinions may be sourced from. Is it from a point of pride, experience, knowledge, or just something we clamped onto along the way. There are those that have conviction and I'm not saying abandon it, but examine it and make sure it's from a source that is worth it.
In reading comments on several topics from both sides in recent days, I have come to the following realizations:
Those who identify as Democrats and are staunchly anti-Trump believe that we are currently living under fascism as evidenced by the racist, non-inclusive rhetoric coming from the White House, the Para-military style policing on Federal and Local levels and the continued plight of the underprivileged that has not improved. They believe that if the Republicans (Trump) win this election, that it will only be more of the same and continue to get worse and worse for our country going forward.
Those who identify as Republicans who support Trump believe that if the Democrats are successful in ousting him, that we will be subject to living under fascism as evidenced by the constant rhetoric that expensive programs will be rolled out for the benefit of all despite the effects on the budget, that police will be defunded with no real plan for law enforcement beyond that, that guns will be subject to registration at a minimum and that there will be preferential treatment to those of backgrounds or circumstances that have been identified as victims or oppressed in order to make up for their victim hood or oppression.
One side believes that if left unchecked the government will turn into a police state dictatorship (if it hasn't already for some citizens) and that certain Americans will never have the chance to succeed simply because of the circumstances of their birth. They are upset that ordinary citizens are brought to their knees by the government over things that the citizen cannot control. They believe it is the duty of the government to serve all people and to make sure that each can live a dignified and free life no matter what and if that cannot be, then America will fail.
The other side believes that if left unchecked the government can become a bureaucratic mess of ineptitude led by good intentions which takes in our tax dollars en masse and produces little, if anything, with it and ends up with only bad results. Further, that those programs will not be judged on success, but on intent and that the reason it didnt succeed was because it was underfunded. This leads to more and bigger oversight and spending until either deficits or taxes bring the ordinary citizen to their knees under a mountain of financial obligations and in doing so America will fail.
I'm not sure that either side is wrong. I'm not sure that either side is right. I know that there has to be a middle ground somewhere that includes financial responsibility as well as a government of service, but few seem willing to compromise in even the smallest fashion, because to them, the very fate of the country is at stake and to trade on a small thing is to give up on the big things.
That has to stop.
We need to find the things we all have in common. We need to communicate more openly and not rely on the mainstream media or the extremists on either far end to represent our views publicly. The country is in the midst of a broken relationship and half is prepared to divorce from the other, but we haven't taken the time to listen to one another and communicate.
Maybe it's time to do that. I know we can do it in small groups. I have done it here on several occasions. Why can't that be spread more? Why can't cancel culture be applied to those that are blocking the lines of communication and those behaving like children in the public eye? Instead, they are glorified and given a platform and divide us further.
I don't know how we step forward from here, heck, I dont even know where I'm going with this whole thing. I'm just randomly spewing from my brain.
We have drifted too far apart, driven by whatever it was that got us here. Things shouldn't be this divisive. How much of what you hold in your heart and in your mind is rhetoric and how much is real, actual experience? How valuable would it be to share from experience, hopefully without bias, and let others be educated and informed. Sure, some poor conclusions may be drawn, but another round of discussion should be imminent on those as well. This is how we build communities, relationships, bonds and its how we should build countries and consensus.
It's a long shot, but hey. Why the hell, not? Could it get any worse than it is right now? Let's take a moment to look inwardly and take stock of where our opinions may be sourced from. Is it from a point of pride, experience, knowledge, or just something we clamped onto along the way. There are those that have conviction and I'm not saying abandon it, but examine it and make sure it's from a source that is worth it.