The Absence of Civil Discourse

Lately, I've been really disheartened by the polarization in this country and have been reading everything I can find that talks about it. I just can't stand how mean we all are to each other and that we are getting absolutely nothing accomplished as we refuse to listen or to acknowledge that the “other side” might have a point or a good idea. I have been trying to figure out how this happened, thinking that maybe that information would point the way to a solution.

I was reading a book called “Crazy for God” by Frank Schaeffer and he was talking about the rise of the Religious Right, specifically around the abortion issue and I realized that he might have hit on something. Here is what he said (slightly edited):

“It seems to me that by demanding ideological purity on abortion (and other single issues) both parties have worked to eliminate the sorts of serious, smart pragmatic people who make competent leaders. What we are left with is those willing to toe the party’s ideological/theological line, who are talented at kissing the asses of their parties ideologues,raising money and looking good on TV, but not much else.

But what if absolute consistency on any issue from the left or the right, religious or secular, is an indication of a mediocre intelligence and a lack of intellectual honesty? What if the world is a complex place? What if leadership requires flexibility? What if ideology is a bad substitute for common sense? What if absolute ideological consistency, let alone purity, is a sign of small mindedness, even stupidity?”

Yep, I think the man has something there. What we have here, in so many public arenas, not just politics, is the triumph of mediocrity. And for some reason, we have followed our political leaders like lemmings, becoming more and more mediocre and inflexible, developing into a country of ideologues, who have, for the most part, lost sight of "why" we believe what we do. I do not believe we have become more "stupid", at the moment we are just behaving like we have.

And as long as we keep paying attention to these folks, listening to their many pronouncements, which are often fact free, we will not get anywhere. Eventually,our great democracy will be a pale shadow of its former self. And, despite what we hear said on talk shows and on TV, it will not be the fault of one side or the other, the "socialists" or the "tea party" will not have done it alone. We all will have done it together, mostly because we couldn't be bothered to look up actual facts, comb through pages of legislation or read publications and articles that presented both sides of the issue.

If we don't wake up and find a way to work together to solve these huge problems, we citizens of the United States, having behaved for a long period of time like spoiled babies, may get exactly what we deserve. That will be very sad.......

May we save ourselves before it is too late!

Praying for strength, courage and wisdom for us all,
Suzanne