This is a special edition editorial, from our opinions page.
September 4th 2022
State of the Union
In light of current events and recent history, we are very much a nation in severe division among many lines and issues. From studies of history it has a feel in society of the years leading up to the civil war, sectional and political hatred amongst Americans searching for a hero or saviour to make it better.
We have attached to political parties like they are a sports team, each side viewing the other as evil while theirs does no wrong.
Two dangers face us as a people,
1. Blind party loyalty
2. The cult of personality
Politicians on both sides divide and program us to view each other as enemies on opposing teams, where we are expected to vote for the letter behind a name instead of examine the individual candidate on their merits, and if they would do the job we require them to do as well as serve the citizens and not party. Years ago I listened to an interview with former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura where he said the same but went as far as to say we need abolition of political parties. I agree
With parties out of the way we focus on individual candidates, which presents the second danger, the cult of personality.
We were formed as a government of the people, who votes in representatives, not leaders and, definitely not saviors. In times of crises we as Americans should not give more powers to expand government over reach, thus ruler status.
In 2008, the great recession hit and America elected Barack Obama as President on the slogans Hope and Change, some on the left viewing him as a savior figure, the same in 2016 when Donald Trump was elected the right viewed him in the same role.
Let the readers and history judge these men as I used them as examples not to praise or bash either man. When crises arise we as a people need to look for the root cause and not view party or personality as saviour, as well as unite and attempt to put aside differences, to work on solutions. As JFK once said “let’s not look for the Democratic or Republican solution, but the American solution”.
I hope this gives us something to think and talk about, in closing a quote from Abraham Lincoln’s 2nd inaugural address:
“With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves”
Written by Brian Fields
Columbus Daily 