Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Prisoners Of Prejudices

We are all prisoners of our prejudices.

To ignore them is to signal a death knell. 

Tribalism, political parties, almost all religions and ideologies require the adoption of some form of prejudice.  They therefore promote a basic mistrust in our fellow man.  Some of their doctrines may have legitimacy yet, in reality, most of their beliefs are riddled with irrationalism. The problem is that they are mechanisms used to support what their members want to believe.  They are not truth seekers. 

Everyone knows this to be true of every organization they are NOT affiliated with.  No one beliefs this could possibly be true of the organizations they are affiliated with.  Hence the problem. 

Each and everyone of these prejudices are carried into the polls on election day. Racists vote.  Bigots vote.  Feminists vote.  Business owners vote.  Employees vote.  The rich vote.  The poor vote… and on and on.  The challenge isn’t that these biases exist.  That is human nature.  The real challenge is in our unwillingness to recognize them in ourselves.  Are we willing to set them aside for the betterment of our nation, society and mankind as a whole?  

As we all know, the issues are NOT typically paramount in the minds of the American voter.  Their selection of a president is primarily based upon Anger, fear, hatreds, preconceived notions (bigotry, discrimination, political party, tribalism and etc.), which can, and usually do, eclipse the issues.

We have reached a point in America where it is essential we recognize this failing and begin disciplining ourselves to focus on issues - what is bigger than just ourselves and our narrow desires. 

We should all seethe when we read things like; If the ticket has a woman, a person of color or a Latino, or a female who is also a person of color, Democratic Party turnout will surge more in really important places…"  This form of bigotry and discrimination has become acceptable.  Yet this should annoy us every bit as much as blatant racism.  It is critical that Americans come to grips with the fact that this overt ugliness is every bit as bigoted as the Ku Klux Klan. 

Our support, or the withholding of that support, NEEDS to based on issues and issues only:

·        End 18 years of war

·        End callousness toward the deaths of countless young black males

·        Hold the president accountable for corruption

·        End the corruption within our political system

·        End the cold indifference that defines our health care system

·        Alleviate homelessness and feed our hungry children

·        End spree shootings and mass killings

·        Tackle global warming and clean up the air 

Unfortunately, we are living in an America where voters place less and less emphasis on issues.  Gun owners only care about their guns.  The rich only care about the size of their yacht.  Feminists only care about electing women. 

The independent voter is what has saved America from political ruin.  They still know the difference between right and wrong and are, for the most part, willing to vote it.  Unfortunately, their number is dwindling when we desperately need that number to be increasing.  

If the issues and proper focus on an agenda is ignored in favor of a woman of color or any other inconsequential requirement, then little hope will remain for the America we once were and are capable of being again. 

Intellectually and emotionally, we need to embrace the maturity and wisdom of Heidi Heitkamp and Claire McCaskill: We want someone of very high character…Someone who is competent, strong and authentic and we don’t care if they are a woman.” 

Only then can we move forward once again in America.


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