I’m just going to say it…..
We now have in the United States, our very own domestic terrorist organization. It’s called the Republican Party. There are no longer two major political parties that support American Democracy and our Constitutional form of government. There is only one major political party that does that. The other political party, the Republican Party, no longer supports the will of the people (it actually has not done that for a while), no longer supports free and fair elections (it’s been working against that process for several decades), no longer supports representative government (it’s been trying to do that by making it difficult or impossible for large numbers of eligible people – predominantly people of color – to vote or have a voice), and it’s greatest shame of all, is that it supports violent insurrection against the government.
I am not making a partisan political statement. I am making an informed statement of fact. The Republican Party supported a racist authoritarian in Donald Trump, and never held him accountable for anything (not for kids in cages, not for anti- immigrant policies, not for supporting dictators and dissing democracies and Allies around the world, not for denying the Legislative branch it’s oversight responsibilities required by the Constitution, not for refusing to participate in investigations, not for permitting administration positions to be filled with unqualified or acting individuals not confirmed by the Senate as required by the Constitution, not for doing everything on Russia’s to-do list, and a whole host of other activities). Neo-Nazis, White Supremacists, Q-Anon supporters and conspiracy theorists have run for Republican positions in government, and some have actually been elected. Republican elected officials have supported lies about the Presidential election of Joe Biden without proof, despite courts, States and election boards concluding the opposite. Republican elected officials have actively worked to prevent legitimate voters from voting, and when votes didn’t go their way, they sued to eliminate millions of legitimate votes. Republican Senators and Members of the House have voted in overwhelming numbers to deny the certification 81 million voters in this most recent presidential election. Overwhelming numbers of Republican Senators and Members of the House do not wish to hold the last President accountable for inciting a violent insurrection to prevent the certification of votes. Republican members of the House are fighting for the opportunity to carry guns on the House floor, even as some of those members are alleged to have participated in and supported the insurrection in some ways, such as firing up the crowd prior to their siege on the Capital, allegedly providing maps and tours of the layout of congressional offices to potential insurrectionists, and allegedly tweeting out the location or movement of elected officials which the insurrectionists were seeking to locate and execute. Republican Senators and Members of the House have not sought the resignations of their members who have engaged in these activities, have not spoken out forcefully about the destructiveness and shamefulness of their activities, and have not removed them from committee seats or positions of authority. There is only one major political party doing all these things that are anti-American and anti-Democratic – and that is the Republican Party.
Sadly, in the minds of many in this country, we never did actually end the Civil War – a war fought American against American in the 1860s – and, it seems, that traitorous mindset is now seeking to manifest in a new time and place. Afterall, there were a significant number of Americans in the 1860s willing to go to war against their own government, rather than honoring our democratic process. Our form of government exists because, as a country, we agreed that a peaceful democracy, where differences are worked out through our voices and our votes and the transition of power would be conducted peacefully, was preferable to any other form of government. When people resort to violence to get their way, they are not acting within the parameters of our shared Democracy. The Civil War was the first act of betrayal by a large number of Americans (of which several of my own ancestors shamefully played a role) who desecrated the gift of a free and peaceful society, that had been passed down to them a hundred years earlier. And now, over 160 years later, large numbers of Americans are once again betraying their country, as they call for, and rise up in, violent insurrection against their own government. In some ways, we have ourselves to blame for this. We never addressed the dishonor of the Civil War, nor properly held seditious people accountable – instead, permitting traitors and racists to become heroes, and have a disproportionate voice in our national and state governments and courts for all of these 160+ years. And now, those same seeds of hate, which never disappeared, are once again, causing Americans to violently rebel against their own government. And just like the 1860s, there are elected officials sympathetic to and supportive of their cause, but this time, there is an entire political party doing this – with the added support of several media networks, social media platforms, international interference and dark money, all working in concert to spread misinformation, conspiracies, and stoke division and mistrust. The party that once claimed to be the moral voice of freedom, the Constitution, Democracy, and the law, is now none of those things. It begs the question, why do they exist at all as a major political party, if they do not share American political ideals?
There is nothing wrong with having different points of view. There are always people we disagree with, and that is OK, because we are human. But the critical piece that is different today, is that, as a country, we are no longer agreeing on the same set of facts, and no longer desire the same country. So, there is no longer space given for discussing our differences and achieving some degree of compromise. For example, we can all argue about just how blue the sky is, but we can’t even engage in a discussion about the blueness of the sky, if we can’t agree that it is indeed blue. We also can’t live in the same society, if those who disagree, believe that killing the person they disagree with, is an appropriate response to dealing with their differences.
A country that believed in war, in segregation, in racism, in guns, and in a death penalty, was always, inevitably, going to reach this point. There has always been a violent, hateful underbelly within our country. It needs to be addressed. Our black, brown, red and yellow sisters and brothers have been trying to tell us this for a very long time. I don’t know how we solve it, but I know that the first step begins with admitting it exists. If we didn’t believe it before, we should believe it now, because we are seeing with our own eyes, a domestic terrorist movement that has evolved and seeks to change who we are. And its most ardent supporter, its most obvious face, is today’s Republican Party.
Since posting this to my blog last night (1/28/2021), the New York Times today (1/29/2021) ran a news article on just this issue, called: “Republican Ties to Extremist Groups Are Under Scrutiny“, which I am including as additional information.
You have stated well what our country is facing. We can only hope it can be fixed and it is not to late to begin doing so.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much for your kind reply. ❤ I have faith that we will heal as a country, but I think it is going to take some time. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi Anita:
Excellent post!
You have done an amazing job at describing the current sociopolitical situation and most importantly at connecting the dots to the history, to rooted problems which have not yet been resolved and as you said “it carries on the issues which were not properly dealt with and were never resolved” … “And now, those same seeds of hate, which never disappeared, are once again, causing Americans to violently rebel against their own government.”
You made a very insightful connection here as well when you said “There has always been a violent, hateful underbelly within our country. It needs to be addressed. Our black, brown, red and yellow sisters and brothers have been trying to tell us this for a very long time.” This is very tragic but in a way, it is good that all is coming out to the light, visible to all because in order to resolve these deep rooted conflicts as you said “the first step begins with admitting it exists”.
In order for healing to begin and solutions to be reached, the very first step is to begin to see clearly, to understand what is happening and why. This is a crucial point, I think also at many other levels for humanity at large, a point in which we all need to start to connect the dots, to seek higher understanding & consciousness, to ponder on our core values and become coherent with our own selves and our actions . As coherent individuals we will form coherent communities and nations. It will take time & effort, and growing pains as we evolve and learn from our own roots, from our history… However, I echo your sentiments and trust that healing will take place, and good will prevail.
In solidarity,
Amira ❤ ❤ ❤
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much for your thoughtful and supportive reply, dear Amira! ❤ I agree with you that the best thing about all this, is that so much is coming to light, coming to the surface, so we can see it better and work with it to resolve it. I also agree with you how important it is that we all be more coherent, and through that coherence, form more coherent communities and nations! Then we can truly live up to our own potential and ideals. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights, dear friend! ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Worth repeating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your kind comments, Pendantry. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Peace.🌺
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, dear Laleh. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pleasure.💕
LikeLike
tx for a brave & important post, Anita
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your kind comments, da-AL! ❤
LikeLike
Unfortunately, I agree with your assessment of the political situation, Anita. While I am happy that a responsible adult won the 2020 presidential election, I can’t believe the results weren’t even more lopsided. How could hundreds of millions of people support that nonsense? And how in the world can CHRISTIANS support it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
All excellent questions that I am still trying to understand, Laurie!
LikeLike