Networking Politics
We live in a divided nation. This is a statement very few will disagree with. Race, creed, sex, social class, sexual orientation, and political affiliation are just a handful of barriers that divide all of us. However, this is by no means anything new, and in fact this has been thematic in our Nation from day one. Activists have and will continue to devote their lives to breaking down barriers, and Government has and will continue to respond to those activists’ pleas. Unfortunately, it seems as though today when we break down one barrier that divides us, a brand new one is built in its place. And, often it seems that these new barriers are buttressed with hate and ignorance and are void of any spec of human decency. All too often the issues that divide this country are exploited and distorted to such degree that reasonable debate is often not an option.
Compounding our Nation’s obvious differences have been a series of tragic events like 9/11, Katrina, Virginia Tech, and last weekends shootings in Tucson. Each of these events were horrifically tragic, but each brought Americans together, at least temporarily. These events not only inspired Americans to want to be better human beings, but also put less important issues into correct context. So after these tragedies, what happens to our motivation when the media’s sensationalism dies down? Do we give up because we hunger for tragedy rather than unity? Or is it that our problems are seemingly insurmountable and too difficult to address at this time? Whatever the answer, it is undeniable that after the proverbial smoke clears we continuously fail to live up to our own pledged expectations of decency.
This week, following the tragedy in Arizona, we were told that politicians and journalists have to rethink the word civility. Civility has become the newest buzzword in American politics, and indicates to me that perhaps our Nation is in more trouble than I had initially thought. President Obama, Fox News, and MSNBC are all making a similar plea – to restore civility in our political system. For now, harsh poisonous rhetoric is the enemy, and basic fundamental human decency is what we are told to expect. Wow, what a revelation!
It is deeply troubling to me that adults who are responsible for shaping policy or reporting the truth to our nation need to be reminded to consider a fundamental element of the human condition. Civility should not be a political buzzword, it should be a way of life. Civility should not be something that we are urged to practice but rather should be something that is as instinctual as eating or breathing. It is hard to imagine how we can confront or solve any serious issue facing our nation or our planet when we need to be reminded of basic human decency.