Month: December 2021

The greatest threat to American Democracy is angry, right wing, white men. They are no longer just angry but also mad and acting upon their frustration and fear. Anger is a state of mind.  An emotion we choose. It is a weakness; one we accept, give in to and act upon. Mad is an out-of-control reaction.

They are angry because they no longer hold a place of superiority. Angry their inherited privilege is being slowly eroded. Angry that women, LGBQT, racial, and religious minorities are being recognized and treated as equals, rather than subservient members of society. Gnashing their teeth about how things have changed as they look through the narrow distorted rearview mirror of American history. Angry they must share power, jobs, and educational opportunities. Incensed their children are exposed to Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American History months. And angry about the rise of alternate religions and cultures, fearing the loss of prestige in Christianity and lashing out against others, especially those of Islamic and Jewish faith.

Anger now manifested in acts of mad rage. PRRI 2021 American Values Survey: 30% Republicans and 26% white evangelical protestants believe: ‘True American patriots may have to resort to violence if that’s what it takes to save the country.’ We’ve gone from ‘What Would Jesus Do’, to ‘What Keeps Us In Power’.  They are yelling and threating local elected officials from school boards to city/county councils.  They are armed and staging protests inside state legislative buildings. Wondering through the halls brazenly attempting to bully and intimidate law makers. They dominated the January 6^th insurrection and invasion of our Nation’s Capital. Their madness has spilled into the streets as they carry torches through Charleston, ramming crowds with cars, and white nationalist marching on the Lincoln Memorial.  School shootings are almost the sole domain of white men with almost 70% of mass shootings by white males (Statistica 2021). 

They have been consumed by the power of the mob and can no longer think as individuals.  What was once their greatest asset has been self-surrendered out of anger. They are a threat to our democracy because they think and act with the emotion of a mob because mobs have no intelligence.

Terrified their dominate position of power is so sufficiently eroded they will never be able to recover without threating, bullying, and restricting the voting rights of others. Their anger is the fuel of those who want to manipulate and stay in power. ‘We’re (GOP) not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business (power) for the long term’ (Sen L. Graham R-SC, 2012). They have been targeted, prodded and are now the willing gullible patsies of conspiracy theories and any charlatans claiming they will protect, defend, and restore their predominance in society. The lack of interest in the truth and honesty is shocking as their leaders unabashedly lie and twist the truth.

Democracy requires all voices to be heard. Not just those brandishing guns and yelling. The Truth is an amalgamation of everyone’s perspectives. Truth is forged by the relentless pounding of facts between the unyielding anvil of history and the merciless, endless swings of the hammer of investigation. There must be a thirst for honesty and integrity in a democracy. In 1787 John Adams wrote; ‘,…if the common people in America lose their integrity, they will soon set up tyrants of their own’.  Tyrants only protect you if it benefits them, and not a second longer. As of now there seems to be no appetite for the truth. These are America’s radicalized jihadists and zealots and are a clear threat to democracy. They are on the wrong side of history, just as the Nazi brownshirts were.  Let me just ask; what would we collectively say if these acts were perpetrated by Black Muslims?  #NeverFeartheDream

The inconvenient truth is we will live with COVID-19 and its many devilish variants for the rest of our lives.  As the nation approaches 80% with at least one dose, the kids can now get the vaccine, and a pill may be soon available.  Maybe it’s time for a less polarizing discussion of COVID-19, the vaccine, and the mandates.

Government has multiple roles which at times of crisis are likely juxtapose and in conflict.  On one hand they are responsible for setting and enforcing policies which protect the population in total.  On the other they are the ardent protector of civil and individual liberties.  Private citizens are also faced with similar conflicts.  In a civil society we try to support and aid those most needy in our community while we also are passionate about our individual rights.  We might be willing to, temporarily, yield our rights to help those in need.

The obligation to protect the general public and those most needy versus the rights of individuals to choose clouds the issues surrounding the pandemic.  We, within reason, reluctantly support the social distancing and masks.  We generally support the vaccine and its distribution.  However, the imposition of government dictated mandates, to many, crosses the line of individual rights.  Is it at all possible for both positions to be reasonably satisfied?  Maybe, but the discussion needs to be open and without rancor.

What would be so wrong with both camps stepping back from the line of confrontation and agree on some common goals.  Such as, individual rights must be respected and acknowledging there must be individual accountability.  The government has the obligation of promoting and defending the greater public welfare by what means necessary, until the crisis is abated.

Therefore, indue consideration, let business set their own standards and policies.  Let the government, at all levels, as a major employer, set its policies as it deems necessary and stay out of the private sector decisions. Each company, government included, might consider a decision tree approach to this issue and let the employees decide their own fate.  Corporate policy should be to require vaccination but allow for an alternative.  Employees who are vaccinated are within compliance of the highest standard.  Employees who decide not to be vaccinated should be required to have a weekly test, at their cost, and their insurance rates should be increased commensurate with their probability of elevated medical costs.  There shouldn’t be any reason why the taxpayers, or fellow employees, should be paying for, or subsidizing, any testing of those who choose this path.  Their rights their responsibility, their accountability.  The third branch of the tree is, if the employee chooses not to be vaccinated or tested then they should be terminated.  Again, their choice, their accountability.  In addition, companies should be allowed to require proof of vaccination or proof of negative test, as well as masks for entry, if they so choose.  If a company wants to exclude those with masks or those vaccinated that’s alright as well, it’s their shop.  Furthermore, those who knowingly expose others should be held accountable.

Each of us are responsible for ourselves and must be respectful of others.  Yet, your rights, and evaluation of risk, should not place others and their families at risks which they deem unacceptable.  We must live with this for the rest of our lives; but we don’t have to make it so darn hard.  #NeverFeartheDream