In a nation clearly divided down party lines, some of us are stuck here in the middle. While the "conservative right" and the "liberal left" loudly spew venomous, hateful rhetoric at each other, the rest of us are left feeling as if we have no voice in the political world.
Both sides seem to be insisting that their ideals are not only the correct opinions but the only possible conclusion any intelligent person could come to once given the facts. "Facts", in this case, being whatever statistics, poll results, or other blurbs of information that particular side has dug up and tossed at us. The mouthpieces for each side seem to imply that if someone varies from their given stance on any given subject
that person is clearly an ignoramus incapable of thinking for one's self. Great way to win over the swing voters! Nothing brings people over to your side quite like telling them that if they don't think exactly the way you do they must be stupid or close-minded.
Where is the candidate for the Christian who also cares about human rights and the environment? The pro-lifer who believes improving the educational system should be a priority. Someone who supports some of the changes made by "Obama-care", but also disagrees with parts of the bill. The atheist gun-control supporter who thinks global warming is just a natural climatic change. The middle class housewife who believes that the key to our financial future lies in both having the wealthy and big business pay more taxes and drastic cuts to government spending. Or the pro-choice gun owner. In my opinion it is the people standing on that middle ground who are truly the free thinkers, having weighed all sides and come up with their own, truly unique opinions rather than following some party line.
Where is the candidate who speaks to us without talking down to us, demeaning us, or questioning our intelligence or integrity? The one willing to take the best of ideas from both sides of the aisle and combines them for a unique, creative, and real solution to the problems our country faces. Abraham Lincoln quoted the Bible when he said "a house divided against itself, that house cannot stand" (Mark 3:25) That's what we are - a house divided. Not by North and South as we were in Lincoln's day, but along party lines. How long can we stand before things collapse even further?
And some of us will be right where we are now - caught in the middle.
Thank you. That's all.
ReplyDelete:0) 'nuf said.
DeleteIt's really annoying how our system only has two dominant parties. Many other countries set up their representation proportionately so that the different voices can still be heard in the government.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that our two parties would agree for that to happen in our nation, though.
different voices heard in the government... wouldn't that be nice? But I agree with you, the two parties probably would never let that happen.
DeleteI am finding it hard to have a "voice", as I don't fit in either "camp". I wish it was more "inclusive" instead of pitting people against each other.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that people in the middle ground are truly the free thinkers. I weighed all sides and came up with my own opinion. But, my opinions pretty much follow the tenants of the Democratic party. I don't tow the party line because I'm supposed to. I tow it because I believe in it after truly giving it thought and study. I do however wish all sides would be more civil in their debates and campaigning.
ReplyDeleteI can concede to that. When I wrote that statement it came from a place of being more as a backlash against the attitude I often feel from party leaders of "our view is the right view and if you don't agree you are stupid/close-minded/ignorant of the facts.
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