“I’m afraid some have gone astray and pledged allegiance to things other than America, seeking self-determination and self-interests that go against the grain of the Constitution.”
The words “civil war” imply anything but civility. A crystal-clear oxymoron. Historians scribed volumes to expose how grotesque the Civil War was and the human vs. human calamities that resulted from it. It has been quite some time since the Civil War culminated in unifying the states and mass casualties blanketed battle grounds.
Yet unity seems to be remiss in our modern-day America. In essence, we are seeing more uncivilized behavior with bursts of combustion from all walks of life. The rumblings of Americans are not on the distant horizon but closer than desirable. The din is increasing in decibel, and the proverbial writing on the wall—implosion—needs no deciphering. It is real. It is growing in intensity. It is seemingly rife with un-patriotic factions and armed, bloodthirsty radicals drenched by misguided principles.
Will our nation’s discord reverse course and disperse? Can we not meet at the tables of diplomacy and reach accord? Must every scintilla of wants and needs be hammered out before US Congress or in the courts?
Our highly esteemed founding fathers blended their great intellectual minds and forged a righteous framework for all to follow. The US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Federalist Papers were intended as stepping stones to help Americans with governance. But what happens when some Americans denounce government and its institutions and forcibly set their own course? Head-on collisions…
Axis after axis, self-important czars bark demands (rights) and menacingly engage in harmful intent to achieve outrageous, undue objectives.
Surreal and bizarre behavior is what we are witnessing today, engendering unimaginable and inexplicable perspectives supplemented with unlawful behavior, effectively throwing the baby out with the bathwater. We the People are swiftly bloating in efforts to gobble absolute control of the national agenda—any agenda—eagerly drowning voices of others, making civility seem a hardship, a nuisance.
In the name of social justice and anti-government acts by subversives and anarchists, America’s glorious tapestry is becoming tattered and torn.
Political Pundits and Poltergeists
Before and after occupying the White House, President Donald Trump has been called many things. In the litany of derogatory remarks hurled at President Trump, “fascist” is among them.
As Dr. Katherine Harris astutely pointed out in her recent OpsLens article analyzing political labels, fascism launches the “assault on freedom of nations to pursue their self-determination and self-interests.” “One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” in our Pledge of Allegiance is not subject to picking and choosing what one deems suitable for his/her needs. It is a covenant by which we all agree to abide. I’m afraid some have gone astray and pledged allegiance to things other than America, seeking self-determination and self-interests that go against the grain of the Constitution.
President Trump expends efforts to do exactly what he campaigned about: Make America Great Again. His pursuit of national security underscores firsthand how his objectives have little to do with him and more to do with American citizens. Those who bemoan that he is denying their rights are often those who seek to rewrite the Constitution for self-gain—in effect exemplifying their own fascist nature while accusing the presidency of violations of rights.
As Congressman Trey Gowdy boasted, “We are a nation of laws!” and to denounce US codes is akin to piercing a stake through the heart of America. Our laws are designed to drive the nation’s destiny. The din decrying “government overreach” wafts while the hypocrisy of overreaching for “rights” not even contained in the US Constitution burgeons. Voting, not violence, is the appropriate remedy.
Dr. Harris concluded her article quite well when she said,
“Let’s not forget the dangers of labeling those with whom we disagree as fascists. Doing so shuts down all communication and understanding. Our country is better than that.”
That sole statement correlates directly to what I undertake in this article, so I respectfully piggyback.
Of importance is the notion that varying political ideologies, cultural beliefs, judicial philosophies, personal ideations, and organizational constructs are clashing, resulting in widespread disharmony. Does this stem from any one person or entity adopting the feelings of isolationism? Is reacting in a reckless manner the only method to accomplish things? The end justifies the means? Is self-entitlement the new normal?
Recently, President Trump allegedly suggested the enormity of the political sphere upon his shoulders. Immediately, naysayers, oppositionists, and partisan hacks threw fuel on a non-fire, unjustly dousing a man who at least has the decency and integrity to openly self-critique and assure the plotted course. That some choose to throw stones at virtues is quite a paradox.
Individuality and popularity sometimes undermine core tenets of the US Constitution—to assemble peacefully, to honor equal rights, and to respect religious beliefs of others—while denying those same rights to others.
Patriotism sustained a black eye over the last few years. A certain NFL player abjectly refused to stand for the National Anthem. Imagery of “citizens” burning, spitting at, stomping, and even defecating upon the American flag have become a dime a dozen insult…all in the name of freedom to do so. Denouncing one’s national icon is perhaps the signal telegraphing civil strife.
Mainstream Media
With the transition of political power from the Obama camp to the Trump administration, we were fed enough outlandish sex, lies, and videotapes to make the porn industry look celibate. “Classified” government information was spewed by media outlets, and the nation suffered embarrassment while some folks jeered at the US. Lives of national security-ensuring field operatives were jeopardized by the recklessness, all in the name of freedom of the press. Indeed, what happened to ethics?
Some broadcasters take impromptu vacations, especially after making off-handed comments on air. Depending on the topic, statements can advance one’s career or torpedo it before the closing credits span the screen. Despite well-intended commentary, uncivil bears awaken, resulting in swift and fierce consequences.
Social Media Exploits
The menu stewing the division among us can easily be seen on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Scroll Facebook, and you will encounter varying opinions. Not a bad thing at all, until feisty ones unhinge and render threats to accomplish goals. Debates easily inflate to nasty invectives, name-calling, and devaluing those who do not adopt one’s perspective.
Recently, Mark Zuckerberg implemented an effort to quell political propaganda festering on Facebook. Trolling is what Facebook is targeting, hoping to abate those who seek to derail “civic discourse” on its site.
Motivated by self-entitlements, the tit-for-tat cat-and-mouse duels are incessant and overwhelming.
From Russia with Love
Civil unrest hit a fever pitch over allegations that President Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin were engaged in awkward comradeship. Many believe Russia’s finesse in hacking somehow doctored the presidential campaign, causing USS Hillary to run aground.
If any two people are meticulously mindful of each other, it is the Trump/Putin duo. Whereas Putin has his own methods of quelling civil discontent, President Trump surely abides by the guidelines set forth in the Constitution. Mother Russia seems to be an ingredient in the recipe to deny Mr. Trump’s presidency as legitimate, generating civil dissonance.
Anti-Police Movement
BLM. That’s it. Not much more needs to be said other than that vowel-less acronym. If anything underscores uncivilized nature, BLM takes the cake (as long as it doesn’t have blue icing). Media frenzy airing civil unrest stemming from riots and clashes with police anywhere was as common as gills on a fish.
The more air time BLM received, the more it clamored for additional attention. BLM was ablaze with hate! The BLM movement was supplemented by the grandfather of stirring up trouble, Al Sharpton, seemingly omnipresent when cameras are rolling, his dour expression with accusatory lips uttering hatred and invectives toward all things police and some political institutions.
The narratives garnered the attention of other anarchist groups who, if nothing else, breathe and thrive on civil upheaval. And with May Day 2017 havoc behind us, we have imagery to remind us of how depraved some individuals can be. One more time, the police are in the crosshairs. Some police executives spoke against BLM while others stood silently behind mayors who spoke of another tragic murder of a cop.
Shamefully, cop-killing has become an everyday thing. Mass ambushes spiked to surreal levels. That climate hovers still. This week alone was a deadly one for law enforcement across America. And the sociopaths behind the sniper scopes and firepower are unrelenting. Each cop killing is a macro display of civil unrest, and the cops are the proverbial “middleman” taking the hits from both sides. Fortified by oath, the drum beat never wanes.
Communication Breakdown
When communication is devalued and civil strife boils over with third-degree burn capacity, reparations for breakdowns in communication must be heeded before apocalypse sets in.
John Gottman coined the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” to describe the phases of traits inherent in deteriorating relationships leading to negative behavior: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. Despite Gottman’s theoretical intent for intimate relationships, applicability transcends to all types of interactions. Go pluck any piece of negative news and you will invariably discern any or all of these characteristics at play.
Gottman’s philosophy encourages civility in any conflict and implores productive, non-acerbic discourse to ultimately arrive at amicable accord. It seems we’ve gotten far removed from the genesis of communication.
As a nation, is America now considered a drive-thru convenience marketplace whereby citizens merely conjure a thought, a desire, and go after it with reckless abandon? One need only examine the renegade affairs of Hillary Clinton and how her dead-set-on-winning mindset garnered, well…nothing useful.
The fodder for discussion continues today, with FBI Director James Comey again summoned before the US Senate to answer questions—a byproduct of partisan conflict, innuendo, and infighting.
The choice to be a disciple of change is respectable, providing it is done within the confines of lawful means. Coloring outside the lines will usually draw scrutiny, despite the crayon-holder’s right to scribble. That is an innocuous example, yet some antifa (anti-fascism) specimens totally push the envelope. Under the guise of political pushback, violence is the staple by which these groups seek to have their way.
When the We Are the World era gathered musicians from all walks of life, the sign atop the studio entryway read “Please Leave Your Ego at the Door,” earmarking that participants were not invited for their fame, fortune, or fine looks. It was their voice that was sought to blend with others’ voices so as to harmoniously telegraph around the globe how we are the human species before we are apportioned into gender, race, culture, socioeconomic holding, political affiliation, educational attainment, or any fraction of one’s personal or professional constitution. Humanity is the ultimate dividend for which we are rooted to blossom.
Do we have a civil war brewing in our great nation? Will the stewards elected to govern America resolve matters before casualties amass? If we cannot meet in the middle and concur, what are the options? Are we in the throes of a civil war, dooming one side over another? Will crises of conscience somehow prevail? Whether a member of the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Tea Party, or a pizza party, the US Constitution affords a fair slice for everyone.
One more thing—there are throngs of civil-minded people all over the landscape whose voices need not be squelched by those of alternate reality. With whom do you stand?
