Have you ever felt the need to talk about a topic so strongly that it seems like you are bursting out of your skin? Your fingers tingle, your stomach flip-flops, and you just can't concentrate until you get it all out? That's what I'm feeling right now.
I want to talk about politics. Not about political beliefs; I don't think this is the place for that but about our current political prediction. So bear with me.
I've been seeing a lot of political "art" (for lack of a better word) on my Facebook feed, and I get physically ill every time I see it. Here are some examples:
Each of these pictures and the million others floating around are an example of the deep, deep divide we have between our political parties. Yes, there is a divide due to the differing beliefs and ideologies, but the gulf is widened with name-calling, slander, blame games, insults and an all-out refusal to talk, or heaven forbid, LISTEN to each other. Conservative and liberals; Republicans and Democrats. Both sides do it; both sides try to blame the other. And I am sick of it. Absolutely sick.
Yes, my political views do tend to align more with one party over the other (Democrats, if you really want to know), but I will happily throw my hat in the ring for anyone, anyone, who is willing to wash his hands of both political parties, to work and to compromise in order to actually achieve solutions. We have so many problems, vast, terrible problems, with our country, but I think our greatest and most debilitating problem is our unwillingness to work together.
I am not the only one that is against this system.
George Washington, in his almost-prophetic presidential farewell address, cautioned our country against political parties, saying that these parties will become more focused on exacting revenge on the other party than helping the country.That these parties will distract the government from its duties, create jealousies and divisions among groups and regions, and eventually lead to despotism.
James Madison, in the Federalist Papers (No. 10), also warned against factions, whose destructiveness could bring down the republic. He wrote that the most dangerous factions where those born out of differing political opinions.
Richard Bushman, a Columbia professor and renowned Mormon historian, spoke recently to NYU's Mormon law students, and thanks to Spencer, I got to hear him as well. He spoke of how the
Church needs to serve the world, but not just in the way we think. Not just in missionary work, not just in humanitarian aid, but in healing our broken political system. No, this was
not an endorsement for Mitt Romney
(if anything, Bushman expressed disappointment that Romney had become entrenched in the mud-slinging and name-calling that is quid pro quo of any election. More on that below).
Professor Bushman spoke of how Mormons can be great examples of cooperation and working together for the greater good. That we should lead this country in reaching across party lines. Those readers who are LDS know what I mean. Think of any committees or presidencies you have been a part of in your wards/branches. You didn't agree with everyone in that group. You didn't like everyone in that group. But you respected them and you worked together in a timely, reasonable manner to solve issues and to achieve various goals. This is how our political system should be!
All people, not just Mormons, do this. In our offices, our schools, any forum where we interact with others, we know how to lay aside our differences and work together. Then why can't we do this in our political process? Instead of respect and cooperation, we employ hatred and stubbornness. We teach our children from the youngest age not to name call, not to fight, but somehow as adults, these rules of decent society don't apply within the political realm.
And it's not just the politicians. Oh, they do deserve a hefty amount of the blame. But when their constituency gets up in arms at the first sign of "wavering" in their beliefs, what are these career politicians to do? In a perfect world, politicians would be politicians out of a desire to better this country and would act accordingly, no matter what the voters back home thought, but I'm realistic enough to know this isn't the case. They need to please the home base, and the home base won't accept compromises. Why must we revile politicians who negotiate and who reach across party lines, and glorify those who "stick to their guns" and, in effect, get nothing accomplished? Politicians have to become involved in the slander, the hatred, and disgust of "the other side" if they want any dream of being elected. We cheer on those who spout words of hate and ignore those who follow that ages-old adage from Bambi "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." How on earth did we let our country get this way?
Now, I don't want you to think that I'm hating on America. This is the greatest country on earth! I love it here, no matter what political party is in power, and would never say "well, guess I'm moving to such and such country." (Although, I did have a hearty laugh at the people who said they would move to Canada after Obama got elected because he was a "socialist." That's like jumping out of the kettle and into the fire, socialistically speaking.) I just want to heal our country, to make it better, and that can never happen while we are entrenched in this party warfare. We are our greatest enemies.
Ok, there's my spiel for the day. Again, this isn't meant to be about any particular political ideology. I think both of our political parties are equally to blame. And if you've made it to the end of this post, congratulations! I barely made it myself.
source for pic 1 and 2 unknown. 3 / 4
