Shots Across The Bow

Memorial Day

This is a day when we stop and reflect on the sacrifice so many men and women have made to protect America. Of course, for most of us now, the meaning of the day gets lost in the feverish activities of a three day weekend. Somehow, getting the entire race in before the rain hits is more important that actually pausing to consider what these folks have sacrificed, and even more importantly today, what they've made that sacrifice for.

Over the last few years, as I've watched the news, listened to talk radio, read weblogs, listened to politicians, and talked to folks I work or play with, I've become more and more concerned over the irrational anger and hatred that divides us. America is in the process of tearing herself apart, and today, I am convinved that this division is the single greatest enemy we face, far more dangerous than any WMD al Qaeda can come up with. Unless we can find a way to heal this rift, our foreign enemies won't have to do anything to destroy us; we'll take care of that ourselves.

And it may already be too late.

For eight years, we watched the opposition tear into a president they hated, taking every opportunity to attack him and his policies, even as he lead the country into one of the greatest periods of economic expansion in its history. He was vilified by the opposition, even as he advanced initiatives they proposed. Despite nearly non-stop criticism by the press, and the utter loathing of the opposition, he was re-elected to a second term, and retains great popularity with the party faithful today.

Which President am I talking about?

Your answer probably depends a great deal on your politics, since the above description applies equally well to either Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton. There exists such a divide in our political consciousness today that the same man can be hailed as a hero or condemned as the worst president ever, depending on the political affiliation of the observer. How can any single entity survive such a radically diverging view of reality? The answer is it can't. There was a time when we could afford this national schizophrenia, when partisan gridlock worked to keep an already over-reaching federal government somewhat in check, but that time ended on the morning of September 11, 2001. That morning was a clear signal that the world's scavengers had sensed a terminal weakness in America's spirit, and struck a savage blow, targeting our economic and political heart.

The results of that blow, echoing over the past 32 months, have shown just how accurate their perception was. Instead of rallying together, emphasizing our common interests over our differences, America is more divided today than she was then, and like a flawed diamond, one more blow, applied with a jeweler's precision, may shatter our nation forever.

Liberals take deliberate aim at the President, heaping scorn and derision on everything he does, deserved or not, all in the attempt to win power for their party, at any cost, and by any means necessary. Conservatives are no better, attacking the presumed Democratic candidate just as viciously, and with as little basis in fact. Liberals hold President Bush accountable for every failure, while giving him no credit for any successes. They distort reality, painting a bleak picture both here and Iraq, refusing to admit that anything is going well. Of course, this is nothing new; conservatives did the same with former President Clinton; and before him former President Reagan was given the same treatment. This leads inevitably to hypocrisy, since the instant their candidate is in office, the standards change 180 degrees.

Both parties are guilty of playing this game, and the excuse, "They started it" is just as weak and childish today as it was in a kindergarten sandbox. We need to be better than that.

This is not to say that there are not legitimate points of contention between liberals and conservatives, or that we must bury those differences in some patriotic fervor, only that the increasingly nasty partisanship on both sides leads to national paralysis at a time when we can ill afford it. A healthy debate is vital to the survival of a republic, but when that debate is dominated by specious claims of falsified military records and claims of unfulfilled military obligations, it is anything but healthy.

The reason I bring this up today, when we honor those who've given their lives to protect our country, is that it would be a damn shame if their sacrifice was wasted because we were too busy fighting each other to defend ourselves. Historically, democracies have not fallen to outside invaders; instead, they quietly rot from within.

Is that the road we want to travel?

I hope not.

Posted by Rich at May 31, 2004 1:20 AM | TrackBack