True democracy is a nation of Independent voters. Allegiance to any one political party is putting part of our identities into other people's hands. Selecting our best qualified representatives has been reduced to just another team sport; generations become indoctrinated like religion, following brand names faithfully, unquestioningly- despite long having since lost all their original values.
This is the danger of labels, be it in politics, religion, or even fast food; it will be exploited and change once it becomes some kind of successful instrument of profit or power (increasingly the same thing in this "Capitalism Gone Wild" video series we are stuck in). Remember how KFC was once Good? Remember when Christian meant Christlike? Remember when Democrats represented all Americans?
The meaning of everything, even words, change a little everyday. When we unconsciously accept this habit of buying into something based on title or label alone, it allows for some normalization of- and eventual blindness to- incremental changes. Our own original ideals for representation, choice of beliefs, or favorite foods become moving targets- without most of us ever fully recognizing it.
To keep our perspectives, we must be free agents. Don't let anyone's monopoly on some historically positive word distract you from today's frequently contrasting reality. The Age of Hypocrisy is in full swing, since our consumer economy infuses profitable duplicity and corrupt salesmanship every opportunity it gets. Nothing is sacred when money is our God, deciding who lives, dies, and rules.
True freedom is rejecting this manipulative categorized-conformity. Exercise free will and abandon prepackaged mindsets, inherited biases, and stagnant struggles seeking more soldiers. Are we animals to be herded, or citizenry to be heard? Should our views adapt to our owners', or should our views be defended by our representatives? Prioritize a minority's profits, or the majority's principles?
That is what we face today. There can be no peace between factions who survive by playing off each other's orchestrated division. There can be no takeover of either corporate tools while everything within is a contest of connections, greed, and wealth. The playing field is designed to be rigged; that's why it's so successful. Record low approval, record low membership, and record high profit.
Pitting ourselves against our neighbor for contrived reasons chosen by someone else's agendas will only ever cultivate artificial group-think animosity. Between individuals, however, there absolutely can be peace. One on one everyday, most of humanity routinely exhibit respect and appreciates each other. It's our wealthy minority government who incite and facilitate the people's discord or war.
The first step is calling it out, removing all legitimacy from con artists hiding behind a banner: Core party Democrats, you're now to the right of Richard Nixon, and twice as corrupt. Christianity has become a "Get Out of Jail Free" card to excuse the most anti-Christian behaviors- to the point where it's become an American Taliban, causing more misery and death daily than our precious 9/11.
Our kids aren't staffing hundreds of bases all over the world to protect our freedom. They aren't being trained to drone bomb foreigners to protect our pathetic illusion of democracy. There isn't anything noble about dying as a pawn for politics or profit, and government-sponsored nationalism displays at sporting events isn't rational cause to become voluntary ignorant drones to sacrifice.
No citizen in America wanted to bail out the banks at the expense of the population. No individual lobbied to have our internet history become corporate commodities. The only candidate the majority wanted for president was the bait we weren't allowed to have. Our futures are dictated by classist elites protecting their investments or serving their sponsors; representation is public relations.
When being part of any group or label means supporting those who perpetuate injustice, doing so is being part of the problem. If your conscience isn't for sale, why should your identity be? Staying Independent, both politically and mentally, allows your inner voice to have more say than anyone's latest animal-mascot focus-grouped sales pitches. 'Unity' isn't others doing your thinking for you.
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” ― John Adams