Posted on 08/02/2020 6:26:09 AM PDT by Sir Napsalot
I often catch myself pondering exactly what it is that keeps our country together. What do we hold in common? What do we share? The word "republic" comes from the Latin res publica — literally "public thing." What is the single "thing" that is our public, political self? What binds us? Our national motto is E pluribus unum — out of many, one. What is this "one"? ....
I see so much anger around me — at the grocery store, while driving, on television, online. I feel so much of it myself: ... Rage that our reality-show-conman president would rather publicize absurd conspiracy theories, spread civic poison throughout the nation, and undermine confidence in our capacity to hold free and fair elections than fulfill the most elemental duties of his office. Rage that, although this president is down in the polls, two out of every five Americans continue to approve of how he's doing his job.
Who are these people? What do I share with them? Aristotle suggests that at its best, citizenship can be a form of friendship. But America is nowhere near its best right now. These people may be my fellow citizens, but they aren't my friends. Sometimes they feel like my enemies....
When I try to wrap my mind around what it would look like for political violence to break out and start spreading like brushfire through the country, I come up short. The historical Civil War was waged as a traditional military conflict over territory, with discrete battles, campaigns, victories, and surrenders. That's because the dispute mapped precisely onto the physical world. ...
But today? ... Do we hate each other? And if we do, what are our viable options as a polity?
(Excerpt) Read more at theweek.com ...
Some of us already knew this.
...and a president lobbing rhetorical incendiary bombs onto the pile of kindling every day of the week....
he is projecting. Incendiary rhetoric? Nancy Pelosi almost every day, Schumer, Elijah Cummings when he was alive, John Lewis when he was alive, Al Sharpton, AOC, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Maxine Waters, Nadler, Schiff and on and on. He is telling us exactly what THEY are doing. It is a very eye-opening article.
Spot on.
Now that, at least to me, is correct. But, we all have opinions....
What have the leftist, Marxists done since 2016?
That has been obvious for almost 4 years now...
Because of our media bias, there are many who just do not, or refuse to, see the “projection”...
This alludes to what I wrote a few minutes ago and this Marxist fully understands, it will NOT be a regional civil war, it's going to be almost individual on individual if it gets started. THAT is why both sides need to be warned by someone to whom they will listen to deescalate this as soon as possible or all hell is going to break loose and NO ONE is going to win. We will be forced to work with the people we hated in slave-labor camps by whoever takes over.
“reality-show-conman president”
Think about where you heard these words.
I don’t think you made them up, but someone did.
There lies the problem.
Think about the movie “The Purge”....except without the weapons or time restrictions.
I agree with you. But our side’s is internal, or maybe harmless posted or tweeted outrage. Not good, but not nearly as bad as the visible hatred seen from the Left.
The main point here is that the division is likely permanent.
Will 90% of rural and suburban people ever again have a thing in common with 90% of today’s city dwellers?
In years to come, how do we negotiate to break off these cities, county-by-county? All troops will come home? Social Security/Medicare will be re-formed? The remaining US will take our portion of the gold, reassign debt according to residents to be paid off, retain sovereigns’ debt except China, and go Gold Standard again? These debts, fiat money, and fake wars have bound us together unnaturally.
I think the strongest possibility would be with a rapid onset ice age forcing those in the northern states and Canada to migrate south because of glaciation.
>>> Now everything is federalized. That’s a problem.
And the problem is once THOSE have power (no matter if sunset laws/rules had written into it), they will never give it up.
I knew some FReepers will jump on the derogatory description of Trump and dismissed the article.
But I left it in my excerpt, and hope others will look past it and see some worthy observation (like what you pointed out).
This arse needs to recognize that the attacks so far have been almost exclusively on conservatives - thus a black man with Trump signs is murdered in Milwaukee, a retired cop on a motorcycle is targeted for being run over by some aggrieved leftist, three federal officers are blinded deliberately by lasers from a BLM crowd, a reporter is beaten with bleach thrown in his eyes. The only physical response I have seen are people defending their neighborhoods - not against peaceful assemblies but against those who show up and threaten them and their property.
IF that ever happened the leftists would never leave it alone. They’d never be happy because of the thought someone else might have something better than they do.
As far ccx as I can tell their side is held together by abortion, homosexuality, racism, hate.
This is the only mutually truthful comment in this screed... Both sides feel contempt for the other. Where Damon Linker is wrong is about 'a divorce'...A divorce - IS the best answer. It's time, past time - for a peaceful split...
Both sides can get everything they've dreamed of. Here's an example Damon Linker:
YOUR PROGRESSIVE SIDE can have 50 genders, total gun control, million dollar reparations for every black citizen, free health care for all (including illegals) - well, undocumented 'citizens of the world' since no one will be 'illegal" in Progressive United States (PUS). Open borders might not be enough in PUS - free plane tickets for every human on the planet who wants to live in the Progressive United States. And cancel culture? Why restrict it to Salem Witch Trial Shaming? Make it the law of the land of PUS... Speak the 'wrong words or think the wrong thoughts' and instantly lose your job, home, and family. Liberal 'elites' rule... no laws, no cops, no court systems - nothing to stand between 'elites' and their fun.
And our side? We want a wall... so in a few years when PUS is a total hellhole - from coast to coast - they won't be able to escape into our country - Conservative United States (CUS)
Get with the program Damon Linker - YOU can have the country of your dreams... and so can we... A peaceful split - Biden is YOUR president - or maybe Bernie... and Trump? He's NOT even a citizen of YOUR country. He's OUR President. And Walmart? Outlawed in YOUR country. With 'progressive' income sharing all your citizens will be wealthy... no need for discount shopping for anyone...in PUS. Yes, Damon Linker our side hates you as much as you hate us. It's time - differences are irreconcilable... and we don't want to 'join' with people who support looters... and anarchists, and child rapists like your side's 'elite' Jeffery Epstein. See a lawyer Damon... start the process.
This is a deeper, philosophical dived that exists within neighborhoods and even households.
Only God can resolve this, and only if we repent.
We can't heal while we support abortion, euthanasia, homosexual behavior, sloth, and overall disregard for God and His commands.
I think it’s good that both the left and the right are starting to figure out that we cannot peacefully coexist together.
The more of that happens the more likely that we can peacefully split up into separate countries.
We’re embroiled in a couple of pathological dysfunctional marriages - left and right, and black and white. The sooner both of these are dissolved the better for everyone concerned.
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