How to resolve our democratic differences

 

The next two years will not be easy.  We will probably be witness to the most dysfunctional forms of government our country has ever seen.  Conspiracy theorist and outright lying has become the norm…at least for some of our elected officials.

We are part of a two-party system where one of the parties has no desire to participate in the democratic process.  Everything that the Republicans campaigned on was to stoke the fears of some of our citizens.  Instead of bringing resolutions to the table, they will bring chaos, more anger, more anxiety and even downright hatred to our people.

They will launch investigation after investigation at the taxpayer’s expense, to get back at the people whom they deem as their enemies while totally negating the fact that we are all Americans.  They will attack, pause, and then attack again.  They will do so unapologetically and with little if any remorse.  They will investigate Hunter Biden’s laptop instead of dealing with issues such as crime and poverty.

They will do nothing to take the multitude of guns that we have on our streets which makes our society less safe, not more.  They will attack this administration constantly instead of building on what was done so far to make life better for the American people.  They will denigrate what has been done and take credit for things they did not do…knowing that all they have to do is say something even if it is a lie because they know that as long as the media will cover them, they will have a platform to spout disinformation and untruths.

It is up to each and every one of us to participate in our democratic process because we know that if we don’t, our government will descend into more chaos and misinformation.  We cannot afford to let that happen.

There should be a law that states clearly that if you are an elected official and is caught displaying a serious lack of morality (which includes lying, spreading hatred and disinformation) you will be relieved of your assignments and your position.  The only way to stop the dis-information campaigns that are currently tearing our democracy to shreds would be to institute something that will stop it and making it into law.

Morality should come from the top down; therefore everyone regardless if you identify as Republican, Democratic, or Independent should have a sense of decorum about you.  You should carry what you do in any administration with pride and dignity.  This should replace the lies that have sadly become the norm.

We should take the necessary steps to ensure that our democracy is safe and secure, and any threat to that process be eliminated, even if it means making sure that someone seeking to hold office will be eliminated if they are found to be lacking in being knowledgeable of how the law as well as our constitution works.

We should be a nation where all its citizens are safe.  We need to know that the police should serve and protect all communities instead of a few, and not be used to “police” the poorer communities simply because they are poor.  Black men should be viewed as men who happen to be black and not an enemy where it is assumed that you broke the law before you can utter a word of defense.

We need to be our brother’s keeper instead of deeming everyone as other or the enemy.  We should be able to look each other in the eye, give a simple head nod to acknowledge their presence instead of looking right through them as if they did not exist.

We need to recognize the humanity in each and every one of us and not treat each other like animals simply because we don’t understand the way they look, who they love or how they pray.

We should be the light shining on the hill instead of a door that it is shut firmly in place to keep others out.  We can do this.  We can institute a process that is both fair and legal in admitting others into our country instead of figuring out ways to keep them out.

Republicans…instead of lying and cheating to get into office and hold onto power, why not initiate a platform that will truly help the American people instead of scaring them?  It can be done.

It may take a change in both parties…but it is within those parties that we must learn to disagree with respect, and if we cannot do that, we may have to examine those people in the positions of leadership and if they do not do what they said they would do, vote them out.

We can be a land of love even if it is our nature to destroy it.  We can be better than what we are.  Our nation can be better than what it is.  We just need to put down our weapons long enough to see our similarities instead of our differences.

~ J.L. Whitehead