In America, despite having political parties outside andindependent of the Republican & Democratic parties, we are still primarily a bicameral system in politics. While in Canada, you have a range of parties representing various conservative and liberal ideological views, we in this country tend to corral various constituencies into the narrow confines of being either Republican, Democrat or Independent. The designation of Independent serves as a catch all, a collection of souls who pass through the sieve of the 2 most popular parties and are the run-off or willful dissidents from the Democrat or Republican party.
In recent years post the rise in political power and presidency of Donald Trump and the Biden administration, ideology has shifted to harder lines being drawn between the 2 predominant parties and attempts to redefine what political sensibilities ought to look like and represent in support of or against our great republic. Under current circumstances, if you are declared or are a self-proclaimed MAGA Republican or supporter of President Trump, you are considered fringe, an existential threat to our democracy & a gross deconstructionist attempting to destroy the very fabric of America. If you are Black, you are expected to stay liberal, a Democrat & are foreign and potentially decried “racist” if you are Republican or represent ideals of a more conservative nature. If you are a Democrat, you must walk a fine line of being open to extreme leftist ideology that is a mixture of embracing socialism, proud rebelliousness and daring to shake up the status quo in Washington and in respective state legislatures. This reach to relate all constituents, even those considered to be fringe liberals can mean breaking of decorum and render involvement in behavior that is not considered appropriate or becoming of congressional leader or politician. We’ve witnessed this with Rasheeda Tlaib, representative from Michigan. She is a proud, Palestinian woman whose support for her county of origin and the plight of Palestinians seeking the official recognition of a Palestinian state is unfortunately negated and twisted into the rhetoric of extremist behavior of Hamas and the politicized leadership that is predominant and taking assumed representation of all people within Gaza. Her rhetoric is akin to what many Palestinians grew up with and laced with calls to end Israel. Her actions and failure to clearly denounce the acts of terrorism and genocide that took place on October 7, 2023, put her at odds with her country of citizenship and dwelling here in the United States and led to her being censured by the House of Representatives. Does freedom of speech have certain limits and defined parameters for Congressional leaders, especially when it includes speech and comments that call for the annihilation of an entire group of people?
The beauty of this country is vested and rooted so heavily in our constitutional rights. Free speech, the right to bear arms, the right to vote, and other rights granted through judicial precedent and practice including the ability to obtain an education at an institution of higher learning are challenged and debated. Yet even that right is being called into question by conservatives who are painting the university system within our country as incubators for pumping students full of liberal ideology that is incendiary and overshadowing other voices on campus and is turning students into extremist operatives.
At the same time, similar rhetoric is being expressed by Democratic stalwarts and self- proclaimed standard bearers like Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Secretary of State. She has persisted in behavior reminiscent of those in Hollywood and other industries who testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in the 1950s. She has named Tulsi Gabbard, veteran and former representative from the state of Hawaii, among others, as a Russian asset being groomed by the Russians. Do we really want to recall a time when actors such as Ronald Reagan and other Hollywood elite named friends, colleagues and associates as threats to America? Hillary Clinton has made it her mission in recent years to take liberties in naming names.
One political ideology cannot dominate our country. Part of what has made and continues to make America the great nation that it is the beautiful tension that exists in people having freedom to believe, perceive and make sense of our country and this world in their own way; it is fundamental to America’s identity. Elections allow we the people to determine, for a time, what political system will govern the country, congress, courts, state and local municipalities for a time. Elections place individuals and parties in power determining which political groups have power to make decisions to best meet the interest of diverse constituencies across our country and within states and cities. These regime changes are not meant to be permanent. And it doesn’t mean that the power granted should be used to completely quash and destroy alternate belief systems for political advantage through the displacement of individuals who are exercising their right as Americans to think freely and challenge systems, processes and precedents that do not align with their perceptions of what America should be. This is in no way advocating for extremist behavior that threatens the life and safety of Americans and those authorized to live and dwell on her shores. It does mean that balance will sustain us; unbalanced, too much teetering to the left or right will destroy us. If the fulcrum is off center, we perish.
Debates and disagreements are healthy when engaged in fairly and done with an intent not for the purposes of self-gratification but to serve. Debates and disagreements within the hallowed halls of the House and Senate are essential to drive America forward to a balanced tomorrow. We do ourselves a grave disservice by silencing voices and points of view, no matter how distasteful, to advance gains for political capital, wealth security, per ignoring, isolating and discouraging segments of our populace. We also facilitate such bad behavior through denial of populist viewpoints that encourage putting the needs, concerns and rights of Americans first. Our safety, security and assuredness that the needs of every person, from our veterans to those who are homeless are not ignored, but given top priority in the way we decide how to dispense money and policies is key to sustaining and saving our democracy.
Been Thinkin’ About 