Sunday, July 22, 2018

Can democracy be saved in a climate of autocracy?

Image result for cartoon of trump and his supporters yelling at everyone

Has America entered the era of no civility? Just how rude has life become? We can blame the tone of our politics that influence how we behave too. Insults have backed us all into our ideological corners. It all began with our ever so unique Donald Trump who used insulting language on his fellow candidates all during the election debates. Trump’s notable quotes are “Little Marco, Crooked Hillary, Rocket Man, and more. No one stooped to his level of rudeness and ever called him Dumb Donald or Terrible Trump although they could have. Protestors hold up signed over the disturbing immigration issue that say, we care, why don’t you? Then our first Lady Melania wears a homeless looking jacket with painted letters saying I don’t care. Now everyone seems to be assaulting people we don’t even know with insults and threats. Why? When did Americans become so hateful to people we don’t even really know?
Our country is in a crisis. Is it a breakdown more of democracy than civility or both? Is it fine that Sara Saunders was asked to leave a restaurant because of what she says at her job? Is it fine that Maxine Waters tells folks to create a crowd and make lawmakers that we don’t agree with feel uncomfortable in public places? Donald Trump responds with more of a threat by saying things like being met with fire and fury and that Maxine should be careful of what she wishes for. The violence in our society is clearly coming from the voice of Donald Trump. He out right threatens protestors saying that   they are looking to be carried out on a stretcher.
Civility should be the basis for a dialogue. If folks are name calling and harassing people there is no dialogue any more.  There is war, defense and violence. Should Americans be silenced just because they have a different point of view? Michele Obama said on July 25, 2016,  ‘When they go low , we go high.” Most of us tried that approach but with this administration we are in the climate of incivility. Can we make America kind again? How?  When Trump is the most vivid manifestation of our worst instincts? Now we have clansmen proudly walking down Main Street in full view without their hoods on. The Presidents we remember are the ones who reached out in hope and peace not paranoia and fear. Our best Presidents pointed forward and not at one another.
What we have now is a Bully in Chief who encourages us all to be bullies no matter what we believe in. America is engaging in a war like stance devoid of sensibility or civility. Between 1980 and 2016 America has had either a Bush or a Clinton on 80% of the voting ticket. Did America just need a change from a Clinton or did Trump’s lack of civility and bullying tactics scare us into accepting him? America needs help. The overwhelming climate of a one sided view in government is the end of democracy in this country. The Republican dominated House, the Republican dominated Senate, the Republican dominated Congress, the Republican dominated Supreme Court, the Republican appointees to all White House positions and the Republican dominated newly hired Judges by Trump will surely get him re-elected for another term. Can civility, morals, ethics and integrity survive in this climate of discontent? We need more than God Bless America. We need a miracle to save democracy in a climate of autocracy.

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