Posted on 02/02/2019 1:33:09 PM PST by Kaslin
The election of Donald Trump—and his presidency thus far—did not create the social and political divide tearing America apart. The forces aligned on the right and the left were already doing that long before Trump or Barack Obama or George W. Bush entered the political arena. But the conflict that has erupted since Trump’s victory has exposed the chasm that divides us more dramatically than any event in the last 150 years.
Americans hardly think any more about the motto that adorns our currency: “E Pluribus Unum”—an example of the dreams of national unity—“From many, one.” Today those dreams have all but vanished. And we seldom hear about the culture war that dominated headlines a few years ago. Apparently, we’re past that point now. The national motto, “In God We Trust,” which appears not only on our currency but on courthouse walls and monuments of all kinds, has become a source of controversy.
We’re engaged in a battle over fundamental beliefs and moral convictions, and the result of this decades-long struggle is a dangerous polarization of society between political extremes. There is very little middle ground. In every conceivable way, we are a nation divided.
The struggle is far from over, of course, and in my book, “Trump Aftershock,” we see that evangelicals felt that Trump’s election brought a burst of enthusiasm for conservative principles and ideals. Still, traditional values and the landmarks of Western civilization are taking a beating. The monuments of our collective history are being toppled and hauled away, while defenders of established institutions and traditions are labeled as bigots, racists, homophobes and worse. Under the tyranny of political correctness, freedom of speech is virtually impossible, religious freedom is threatened, and everyday conversations can be risky and sometimes even lethal.
The election of Donald Trump—and his presidency thus far—did not create the social and political divide tearing America apart. The forces aligned on the right and the left were already doing that long before Trump or Barack Obama or George W. Bush entered the political arena. But the conflict that has erupted since Trump’s victory has exposed the chasm that divides us more dramatically than any event in the last 150 years.
Americans hardly think any more about the motto that adorns our currency: “E Pluribus Unum”—an example of the dreams of national unity—“From many, one.” Today those dreams have all but vanished. And we seldom hear about the culture war that dominated headlines a few years ago. Apparently, we’re past that point now. The national motto, “In God We Trust,” which appears not only on our currency but on courthouse walls and monuments of all kinds, has become a source of controversy.
We’re engaged in a battle over fundamental beliefs and moral convictions, and the result of this decades-long struggle is a dangerous polarization of society between political extremes. There is very little middle ground. In every conceivable way, we are a nation divided.
The struggle is far from over, of course, and in my book, “Trump Aftershock,” we see that evangelicals felt that Trump’s election brought a burst of enthusiasm for conservative principles and ideals. Still, traditional values and the landmarks of Western civilization are taking a beating. The monuments of our collective history are being toppled and hauled away, while defenders of established institutions and traditions are labeled as bigots, racists, homophobes and worse. Under the tyranny of political correctness, freedom of speech is virtually impossible, religious freedom is threatened, and everyday conversations can be risky and sometimes even lethal.
The results suggest that we are more divided than ever—and neither the Left nor the Right is content to cede patriotism to the other. While most Americans believe the country is becoming less patriotic, they tend to believe other people are the problem: they’re fine, they say, but their neighbors are unpatriotic.
Almost half of respondents (46 percent) said that it would be completely accurate to describe themselves as “proud to be an American.” Overall, “freedom of speech” proved to be the most meaningful indicator of the level of patriotism among respondents, with nearly nine out of ten adults (87 percent) saying it was very meaningful to them personally. As you might expect, party and political ideology made a difference in what matters to different groups.
There is no question that the United States is engaged in a war of worldviews. The differences between the Right and Left are long-standing and substantial, with little hope of change or compromise.
This in itself is disturbing, but the issues that have the greatest potential for shredding the fabric of national unity are the ongoing moral decline within our culture and the lack of shared values. We often hear complaints that the American people are losing their manners. It’s not just loud and undisciplined children in restaurants but parents and adults of all ages and in all sorts of public places. We also see the breakdown of character and moral discipline in the politicians we elect.
The truth is, Americans don’t share their admiration for anybody or anything these days. Conservatives and liberals no longer agree on politics, religion, the media or what qualifies as free speech. We’re at the point, as we see so often in today’s news, that one man’s view of free speech is another man’s definition of hate speech.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
But all those things have been challenged by the liberal establishment, which is why many are calling for a Constitutional Convention to redefine who we are and what we believe as a nation. This would be a disaster for many of the basic rights we have taken for granted for the past two centuries. Who knows what a new constitution would look like. But for those intent on changing our country to be more godless and socialistic, it would help them achieve their goals.
Remember Benjamin Franklin’s response to the woman who asked at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, “Well, Doctor, what have we got—a Republic or a Monarchy?” To that he replied, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” What the Founding Fathers gave us was a representative republic; however, today many Americans are wondering if we can, in fact, keep it.
The philosopher George Santayana said famously, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” But in our current condition of cultural, educational and moral collapse, there’s no guarantee the republic the Founders gave us can survive.
The response from conservatives is repulsion, disgust,and disappointment, while the response from those on the left is constant anger and rage.
“Under the tyranny of political correctness, freedom of speech is virtually impossible, religious freedom is threatened, and everyday conversations can be risky and sometimes even lethal.”
Sounds exactly like stalinist Russia
If history is indeed a barometer of things to come our Republic too shall fail. IMHO, it has been headed for the ash heap of history and the velocity is increasing exponentially.
I lay the blame more than anything else at the feet of the main stream news outlets. They have systematically undermined any effort to see the nice side, or positive results of the present administration. Their reports are toxic waste.
“Hey man, it’s a FREE COUNTRY..!!”
Don’t hear that any more, do you..?
“We’re at the point, as we see so often in today’s news, that one man’s view of free speech is another man’s definition of hate speech.”
No, that’s the left that is being completely intolerant of other viewpoints. The RATS have gone completely insane. The abortion stands they’re taking in New York and Virginia prove these people are sick and mad. There is no common ground to seek with the left anymore. They must be DEFEATED everywhere in this country to save ourselves!
So he's going to kill 600 000 Americans and ruin 1/3 of the country for a century?
You are correct. Losing to them is not an option. They’ll end up wiping us out if they can. They are certainly going to show us no mercy at all.
>> I lay the blame more than anything else at the feet of the main stream news outlets
Nothing changes until the cowards start calling out Comcast and Disney.
It seemed every group was at each others throats.
For example; Northerners and southerners had strong dislikes for each other. Whites had little or no use for blacks and they lived apart in ghettos,as did ethnic groups.
Catholics disliked heretics(protestants) and the heretics disliked the papists. About the only thing they agreed on was they both disliked the Jews. And the Jews probable didn't like us goyishe kops.
Ethnic groups did not get along, Irish considered Italians as wops guineas or Italians pronounced eyetalians. I imagine Italians had some words for those thick micks those harps that drink to much.
World war two united the country and by the late 40s things changed for the better and people became more tolerant of our differences.
… So don't get despondent over our differences today, the big diference is today most people know what is happening and feel bad about the inability to change things. Sometimes events have to take over and make the changes. - Tom
We have the Conservatives, and then there’s the crooks.
No we’re not
Almost everyone I know are Democrats
Everybody and their sister knows I’m
An engineer and conservative and love trump
I’m nice to everyone and just keep my opinions to myself or just ask questions
Right now tge media wants division and fighting
The Democrats are rolling the dice on just hate and oppose trump
Just laugh at or ignore them
If America is what we know it is. We will win
16 was the absolute key and was a miracle. Trump is the hardest working person on the planet and is just doing everything much of which you don’t hear about. Like he’s building wall right now. Period
Look I ask my lib buddies. “ hey where’s Russia “.
The gestapo tactics are not winning people over
The new enthusiasm for infanticide is not winning hearts and minds
Hate only destroys the HATER. REMEMBER THAT
LOVE THINE ENEMY. KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS
I think until both sides are willing to take some of the blame we aren’t going to get anywhere. This thread is a depressing example of that not happening
We just elected an extremely divisive president ON PURPOSE to push things as far to the right as possible and start an anti-government revolution. He was not elected to be some great healer or uniter. Anyone who thinks that is lying or delusional
And comparing him to Abraham Lincoln is nuts I’m sorry
The reason the US is no longer a free country is due to the size and power of the federal government. As long as the government controls so much of the economy, education, and can infringe on our basic rights, there will be a constant battle over who controls it. If somehow the government could be cut to what it legitimately should control (justice system, defense), then much of the fighting would cease.
No America is NOT t war with itself; America is at war with subversives and invaders.
You get it. You seem to see what I have seen years ago.
As the decline grows, it grows exponentially, not linear.
I told people back in 2006 that this split is gonna happen in some way and it will be amplified by the internet.
It will happen simply because all empires eventually end, but usually it is a slow process over time and the rot is under the surface.
I often wonder if growing up and living in the SF Bay Area gave me an edge in seeing the insanity before most of the rest of the country, and before I eventually left California.
My family that is still in CA and some in NY state are welcome to join me in the heartland to survive if they want.
The best tip I can think of is to make sure you are part of a survival group/neighborhood/town.
The ones that survive and eventually thrive are the ones belonging to large cohesive tribes who understand leadership and teamwork, etc.
I sure hope we can split peacefully though as I think it could still be done, but it takes leaders at the national level to begin the process. Otherwise, it will be similar to the Spanish Civil War from 1936 where the radical left gave ‘normal’ catholic christians only one choice but to join Franco and others. People forget that the left in Spain at that time passed all kinds of draconian things which is what prompted the war.
Closest historical event I can think of compared to the USA today.
bump
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