Every day, the headlines seem to be getting darker and grimmer almost by the minute.
Hyper-polarisation of our political arena full of extremists on both ends of the spectrum screaming past each other rather than thoughtfully considering the other side’s position and coming to some sort of a reasonable compromise in the middle.
You know, kinda like we used to do in the not-so-distant past called the 1990s when you’d have politicians in the Senate who were diametrically opposed politically but could find a way to work together as colleagues to come to some sort of solution for the problems of the day. Certainly it wouldn’t be perfect and make everyone happy but that’s the essence of a proper compromise where at least both sides can leave satisfied that their views have been taken and that both sides have given up some of their sacred cows to have a functioning government.
It’s devolved to the point where both of the extreme wings of our two political parties cannot even conceive of their opponents as human beings worthy of having a point of view worth considering.
It’s damned depressing for those of us who remember that it wasn’t always this way even in some of the darkest times of our republic.
Those of us who grew up whilst Vietnam and Watergate were big news could still see plenty of instances when politicians that didn’t like each other personally could work together in the most unlikely of ways. Even with confidence in the institutions shaken to its core with the Watergate scandal and the aftermath of Nixon’s unprecedented resignation of the Presidency and the deep divisions over the Vietnam War would likely have never imagined it getting much worse.
And yet, I can’t help but wonder if the insurrection of January 6th is the precursor to something nastier to come.
Violence in Congress is hardly a new thing…Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts found that out the hard way when he was beaten mercilessly with a cane by Representative Preston Brooks after Sumner had excoriated his kinsman Senator Andrew Butler in a speech known as the “Crime Against Kansas” speech.
But we should be so much better in our politics than giving in to our basest tribal instincts where anyone who doesn’t agree 100% lockstep with us is an enemy that isn’t even worthy of being considered human, much less someone deserving of respect and everyday ordinary kindness.
Talking out problems rationally doesn’t seem to be at all popular anymore.
Thinking of solutions that benefit the most amount of people possible doesn’t seem to be either.
So if talking and thinking and trying to understand the other side to come to a solution rather than just keep screaming past each other, perhaps the next logical step is violence. People seem to take notice of that, at least even though all it does is reinforce the iron-clad divisions that are already in play.
That’s what brings me to the sad reason I’m writing this entry today…we’re really already there.
Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was almost assassinated in a event in her constituency in 2011.
Six years later, a shooter would open fire on the Congressional baseball game injuring Representative Steven Scalise in the process.
Had the insurrectionists actually gotten their hands on Vice President Pence on January 6th, I’ve no doubt they’d have done their level best to kill him and anyone else who would interfere with their murderous intent.
I fear it will get far worse before it gets better.
And it’s not just here in the United States that we can see the effects of hyper-polarisation and the resulting choice of violence rather than the instruments of civilised government to redress our differences.
Sir David Amess MP was stabbed multiple times and died of his injuries in his constituency whilst he was holding what they’d refer to as a “constituency surgery” where the sitting MP meets with the constituents to see what they can do to help deal with the bureaucratic problems they may be facing. And trust me, when it comes to bureaucracy, Her Majesty’s Government are seasoned professionals of the art.
He wasn’t the first one to die during a constituency surgery. If you look past the Labour front benchers during Prime Minister’s Questions, you might well see the plaque placed to remember Jo Cox MP on the wall of the Commons chamber. Like Sir David, she was killed whilst meeting with constituents a few years prior doing that work which MPs generally consider their favourite part of the job.
It’s one thing to differ with elected officials on political issues. Certainly, I felt Sir David was on the right side of banning the barbaric practise of fox hunting and city status for Southend but his support of Brexit I found far less appealing. Whilst he was never a minister on the front bench, he was frequently called from the Speaker’s Chair in PMQs to advance his political causes.
But political differences should never be used as a justification for inflicting violence or death upon our opponents.
We’re better than this!
Or at least we ought to be! 🙁