After reading the news this week, and watching the Sunday morning news programs, it occurred to me, once again, that we have far too much emotion and emotionalism in our politics today in America, it's getting worse--much more so--and that we need to rid ourselves of it.
Proof:
No. 1--Last Saturday, protesters in Washington, outside Congress, yelled "nigger" at Representative John Lewis, a highly respected--and elderly, if that means anything, African-American leader from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's;
No. 2--A man was arrested--and later released-- for having spat on our own House of Representative Congressman Emanuel Cleaver at this same rally.
What good purpose could that have possibly served?
No. 3--On ABC"s program "This Week", Karl Rove continually and repeatedly rudely interrupted Presidential Adviser David Plouffe when answering questions directed at Mr. Plouffe, when Mr. Plouffe did no such thing to Mr. Rove. He ran right over Mr. Plouffe's answers and discussions, allowing for little reply to any questions directed specifically at him (Mr. Plouffe);
No. 4--Routinely, on American news programs, especially and specifically the Fox Network "News", people will shout over one another (e.g., Bill O'Reilly) or turn to tears, for effect, while reporting the "news" (e.g., Glenn Beck), etc., apparently so their shows have more impact;
No. 5--If we can't discuss the salient points of an issue, we yell names: Representative Barney Frank was referred to as a "homo"--as though that has anything to do with anything--during that same demonstration in Washington last Saturday;
No. 6--One Mike Vanderboegh of the "Alabama Constitutional Militia" "...put out a call on Friday for modern 'Sons of Liberty' to break the windows of Democratic Party offices nationwide"--because that's a good idea, right?--"in opposition to health care reform." Windows ended up broken in Wichita, Kansas, Tucson, Arizona, Rochester, New York and several other places.
These are just a few recent examples, too. This isn't nearly everything I could list as examples.
It is my contention that all of these above episodes are mighty indicators of what is going wrong in American media, American political discussions and so, finally and sadly, negatively, in our government.
We have stopped calmly reasoning with one another and we merely shout at one another.
We need William F. Buckley, his reasoning and his speaking style, back again. (Even if he was wrong, at least part of the time).
We don't want discourse from one another any longer, it seems. All we want is for the "other side" to come over to our "correct" way of thinking, so we just shout at one another. And worse.
Frankly, I think the Fox Network seems to lead the way in this by only espousing one viewpoint--the Conservative one--and by allowing commentary to get emotional and vitriolic. We end up with no patience for PBS discussions where a Conservative and a Liberal or a Democrat and a Republican and other political groups calmly, cooly and logically lay out their points and the data that supports them.
So the electorate knows little, rarely, of hard statistics and facts that should rule the commentary and discussions.
Our sincerity, however mistaken, rules the day through emotional rants.
Again, as I've said before, this is no way to run a country.
And we seem to be getting worse.
A lot worse.
Quickly.
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