A House Divided

It's unclear, but it seems that those in politics and the conservative and liberal media are fostering a divided house. For some reason, they are intent on driving a wedge between people. The political parties impose their agendas on the country, projecting an image that they alone understand what's best for all of us. They resemble a father laying down rules, ensuring they are obeyed, and punishing those who stray too far, often neglecting the nurturing and love that might be perceived as weakness or laziness. Or, they are like mothers who strive to create a welcoming and loving atmosphere in the house, often sidestepping the harsh realities of the world that we must face, whether we like it or not.

‍     Then there are those in the media who purposefully create division and schedule opposing sides so that there is yelling, talking, and hostility to ensure the ratings go up and more people will watch their programs. Sound bites are more important than getting the whole story, and the commercials are more important than the news; after all, they help the economy prosper, and with all the drug advertisements, hopefully, we will feel better…..artificially. There are the screechers (the combination of screamers and political preachers) looking to be talked about by other screechers who promote each other's ratings. From all of this, there is no ordinary word, productive debate, or national consensus, just self-centered promotion of old, worn-out ideas and rhetoric.

‍     This results in a house, a nation, and a people divided. We have forgotten that whether right, left or in the middle, we are all kin; we are all citizens of the same country. We have given away our rights and ability to speak freely, offer new ideas, and care for those who disagree or are different from us. It feels that some would want a civil war, at least with words and ideas. The ratings would soar, polarization would help political party promotion, and commercials would be worth more during prime time. Lincoln, among others, knew that a house divided could not stand. But then he didn't realize that rating is the game's name; right or left was more important than the common good. From my understanding, he felt that justice was more critical than Prozac and that a united nation was more important than which party was in power. Perhaps that is one reason he placed those who disagreed with him and were from the opposing party into his cabinet. Whether we agree with them was more important to do what was best for all than for one.