An Open Letter to Republicans
A.K.A. Speaking to the “other side”I hate the state of politics in this country. Both “sides” seem hell-bent to decide things based on who can scream louder. At our core, I think most Americans can come together on what it is they want in terms of their government. Most of us, honestly, want to be left the hell alone.
We all tend to agree there needs to be rules. We often disagree on the why and the how those rules are enforced. We have similar core values, despite what others would have you believe. We want security, prosperity, and the freedom to be happy – what is this country’s declaration of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” if not that.
Many think this is from the constitution – it is not. Nowhere is it embodied so bold but in the Declaration of Independence: the proclamation – by unanimous consent – that in no uncertain terms tells Great Britain they have overstepped their bounds. So we mostly agree, this government has as well.
Though we may have a “moral compass” that differs greatly, it is only the edges of this that are frayed. We are largely all against murder – we just take this in different forms. We believe in security of property – that no one should take from us what we’ve earned. This again, breaks down to many forms --- it is only the edge of consensus that is torn. We all mostly get along, work together, or at least have for many hundreds of years. It is only recently, through shameless debasing remarks, we have turned on each other in large. The cause of this, in this persons’ opinion, is the deliberate and calculated diversions by countless groups interested in gains at all cost. In other words – opportunists. People that see a conflict (or create one) in order to undermine the people at large to line the pockets of their own.
This is what divides us – not petty politics.
So I ask you to consider, what is the greater threat: people that talk about starting a fire or people that do it and blame some other? This is what I think of when divisive politics takes us to world’s end; when extremism is seen as central to a “party’s” core. That there are two distinct “sides”, iron-clad and split by eternity. It’s focus on the bitterness that comes of edges frayed – of the few disagreements among us blown up to be all-consuming traits.
I believe in democracy, freedom, and government that stays in its lane. Are we the same or insane?