We The People, in general, are a divided people. Pick any topic or issue, and there is bound to be some heated version of "Us and Them"- if not outright conflict over it. We seem to excel at creating staunch support bases for even the most unlikely of viewpoints: White supremacy. Pro-fascism. Aggression. Hate. Fiercely ignorant groups who insist having 'Freedom' means Their Right To Reduce The Rights Of Others.
One of the biggest reasons for animosity is that we Americans live in a society where division has become a white noise permeating everything. Because that's where the Profit is. Nobody has to comprehend- or even care about- the whole picture. Any greater perspective becomes just an opposing viewpoint to demand equal time and money fighting against. Generating more wealth through discord has become "good business".
Sadly, our environment, current political state, national economy, and deep social fragmentation all lead back to this simple for-profit premise.
In 2016, Bernie Sanders ran on the Democratic ticket. His platform mirrored many prior and historically known Democrats, championing a return to addressing the day-to-day needs of the nation. But as also-culpable Donna Brazile finally admitted, millionaire rival Hillary Clinton and the DNC resorted to rigging an already very undemocratic selection process, sabotaging his efforts to inform Americans about Oligarchy.
That's what money buys you in this country- the opportunity to sponsor your own focus-group narratives, while silencing any speaking truth.
We actively cultivate and breed a million different types of ignorances here because it's nicer for some rich people. As comparatively privileged as we are in this world, the average American's anxiety levels (and the subsequent coping addictions / mental illnesses) are off the charts from our sheer cognitive dissonance. We have normalized the personal meaningless of our own existences in allegiance to this American Machine.
Though millions of dollars are spent on the hype and publicity of our 'elections', the overall outcome remains the same for most, regardless to which branch of the Business Party wins. Petty debates over identity issues cloud the constant march toward blatant fascism: The "Patriot Act." Warrentless spying. Bailing out Wall St. criminals while citizens go homeless. And of course, forever growing the Military Industrial Complex.
A blending of politics and corporate economics led to one of our primary national industries being War, sanitized and normalized to the public through superior technologies and "anti-terror" doublespeak. There are fewer causalities on Our side, and those who do die are given so much patriotic pomp and circumstance most can somehow easily forget that we're in fact the aggressors now, violating nations, killing their civilians.
Yet somehow with enough historically romanticized propaganda, going to impose the will and whim of bankers and politicians onto strangers becomes something to be Proud of. Phrases like Honor The Troops, Pride In Our Military and Defending Freedom become sacred scripture of our new American Taliban cult religion, totally disconnected from today's radical overseas policies creating profitable terrorism and arms sales.
Today's "democracy" and "freedom" which supposedly makes us "Great" (ie, superior to other countries and their people) is just a sham, kept alive in effigy by those who prop up the illusion so as to continue exploiting it. Ironically, the one thing most Americans DO all agree on is a growing distrust (and disgust) in their non-representative 'Representatives'. Our illusion of choice's corporate duality has become too obvious.
Welcome to America, home of the largest prison population on earth, where you're a criminal unless you obey all laws that our warmongering board of Wall Street CEO's finds most profitable. Where the smooth talking, likable politicians can win a Nobel Peace Prizes whilst dropping a record numbers of bombs and creating drone warfare programs. And anyone daring to question the sheer idiocy of it is labeled 'un-American.'
Somehow the American public got successfully sold on Orwell's line from 1984: "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength".
Political figures used to be ideologically motivated citizens with diverse views from all walks of life, seeking to improve the lives of all. Or, at least, the good ones were. Modern politicking is an incestuous revolving door of career lobbyists whose primary goal is their own re-election, and holding power by any means necessary. Which means ethical justice, being unprofitable to all their sponsors, has no place in either party.
The very language we use has now been corrupted against us; our own beliefs twisted and commercialized. A "Christian" President prioritizes thousands of bombs being dropped on poor foreign communities while this country's childhood poverty and national debt climbs. Just like the last "Christian" did before him. We let televangelist "Christians" scam desperate folk tax-free, becoming millionaires with huge cult followings.
But one no longer has to follow the teachings of Jesus, or have a Christ-like spirit to be Christian. A politician merely has to give it momentary lip service, and millions of self-defeating check-box-ticker Christian Voters will pledge blind support over any Godless Heathen, whatever their *policies* might be. Sadly, this is exactly how the sports-fanatic-like anti-intellectual me-too Democrat and Republican zealots behave as well.
We're manipulated by hypocritical labels. We're manipulated by selective, guided reporting. We're being manipulated into being the bad guys while thinking we're the good guys, because slaves and soldiers are always more inspired by causes. The real reason all us uneducated global neighbors spend our lives fighting each other mostly has to do with the elite classes' political / business world- which we have no more say in.
Is this version of America- where any War Pig with a public relations team and enough stock options can supersede the will and best interests of the majority- really a legitimate form of government? Or is it just another form of domestic terrorism, hid behind some idealogical trappings and buzzwords that we've in reality left behind long ago? When does our Being Good Citizens turn into Complacency To Legalized Tyranny?
Slavery was legal once. So was the holocaust. Helping sociopaths play King of the Hill is never defensible or pride-worthy. Let's not surrender our logic or morals by confusing them with dictated police-state legalities opposing both democracy and the survival of humanity everywhere.
“When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw.” ― Nelson Mandela