Thoughts of the riot at the Capitol!
I started to write about how the lies of the president, the words from Guliani, and the president's family helped incite this team of people they invited to a rally to become rioters with no respect for the Capitol and the legislators I am sure many voted for in recent weeks. However, you can look to others on Facebook, Twitter, or watch the news channel of your choice to hear about this from the perspective that you want to hear.
News that is slanted to a particular party, philosophy, or belief has been around. Teddy Roosevelt wrote about the number of papers and their spin on truth in New York and the country during his time, and it sounds quite similar. The difference is that the printing press slowed them down.
Using untruths and lies to change the political climate and will of the people is also not new. Looking back to the Mcarthy era in this country, we can see how a set of lies repeated and exaggerated can get people excited, agitated, and even violent.
Repeating lies is not enough. What is needed is an ember that needs fuel for these people to become energized, agitated, or excited enough to want to believe these lies and, worse, act on them.
Do they feel disenfranchised from the global economy?
Were they raised to believe the color of their skin makes them better and privileged?
Do they believe their religious ideology and beliefs are under attack?
Do they not believe in gender equality? or equality for all people?
Do they believe the more educated population is looking down on their own choices and career?
Is there a feeling of attack on their way of life, including hunting, sports, and other activities?
Are they ignited by religious beliefs and leaders that feel their belief system is under attack?
Were they raised with a distrust of the government and regulations?
If we sat down together and talked, I am sure we could find compassion for each other. Would we understand these embers that Trump and his minions can tap to fuel the rage that ends inside the capitol, and help each other put out fires instead of feeding them? We might just actually learn to like each other and appreciate our differences and look for common ground.
I live in East Texas. Gohmert is my representative, who led the charge in the house to challenge the election, and one of my senators is Ted Cruz, who led this charade in the Senate. Let me assure you that I didn't vote for either one. Trump won the vote in my town with 68% of the vote. Guess what? I am a gay Jewish male who gets along with my neighbors. We exchanged holiday cookies. While walking my dog around the neighborhood or nearby trails, I can't imagine any of them being people that would be hateful to my family or me. However, I am sure a few of these people ended up in Washington.
Just as there is conflict in anything, the first step to resolve that conflict is to meet one another and see each other as humans and individuals. Instead of living in stereotypes that are embers that fuel hatred on each side, meeting one another and understanding each others' beliefs and challenges can go a long way to helping this country find a more peaceful common ground for everyone.
Let me be clear; the next administration needs to have a bipartisan commission that will investigate all the challenges to the norm of rule and order that has occurred over the last four years. This commission should include looking at government and election systems and making sure that we have better standards for elected individuals. This commission should also focus on legal issues that need to be pursued against elected and political officials to assure that even future presidents know they are not above the law. And finally, they need to investigate how to handle fake news and social media better.
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