As 2013 is about to be rung in, I remain stuck in 2012. This has been a year of infamy for the American people. it is a year that began by ushering in the most expensive Presidential campaign in our nation’s history at a time when we are struggling to recover from the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression and ending with the increased likelihood of our descending over a “made in Washington” fiscal cliff along with a subsequent recession. Members of Congress are more committed to satisfying Grover Norquist and protecting the wealthy from higher taxes than they are to the stated will of the majority of Americans. Leadership at the very top of the governing bodies of our country is failing us in historic proportions.
But Washington is not the only reason for concern. Indeed, our government is merely a reflection of the nation as a whole. The tragic events in Newtown Connecticut that might have brought us together in the past are tearing us apart in debates over how to address a culture fixated on guns and violence. With the NRA calling for more guns in schools and others advocating extremely restrictive measures to address gun violence, Newtown has become symbolic of the deep divide that is tearing us apart. And even this is but the tip of the ominous iceberg that is slicing down the middle of our country. The “Cultural War” that the religious right has been waging for the past 30 years is finally coming to fruition. But instead of uniting us into a more “Christian” nation, it has spawned a chasm that threatens to completely tear us apart. The feverish intensity with which both the right and the left have fought these battles has left little place for reason, civility or compromise. There seems to be a complete unwillingness to understand each other or to take the time to truly listen to any opinion but our own.
This brings me to the rationale for creating yet another blog in a space that is already overcrowded with a diversity of opinions. I want an outlet to give a voice to my frustration with the polarization of our culture. As Americans stand at the threshold of 2013, the center is indeed a very lonely place. We have become so completely polarized, not only in politics, but also in religion, cultural expression, and in our ideas and opinions that we are unable to truly hear each other. Our diversity, which at one level could be our greatest strength, may instead be hastening our demise. Extremism is being mistaken for conviction, unwillingness to compromise for authentic leadership, and demagoguery for real conversation.
But to be fair and to set the platform for conversation, I do owe my readers a glimpse into who I am. If you met me on the street, you would observe a white male in his mid-fifties…nothing much out of the ordinary. If you took the time to get to know me you would find that I am an engineering manager for a semiconductor company, that I have been married for over 30 years to the same exceptional woman, (I’m still not quite sure how my wife has survived those 30 years but oh well…) and that we have 4 wonderful kids, none of which are teenagers any longer. While I currently live in North Carolina, you would find out that I was born in Pennsylvania to Amish Mennonite parents but grew up in northern Canada where my parents were missionaries to the Ojibwey people. After growing up as an Amish-Mennonite in the Anishinabe culture, I have spent the rest of my life adjusting to white American society. So...my background is quite varied, or confused, depending on your perspective. I remain a person of faith residing somewhere on the outer left fringes of Christian evangelicalism. At various times I have been a registered Republican, registered Democrat, and now an unregistered independent. For any of my readers who wish to get to know me better or need more reason to dismiss my opinions, please let me know. I will be happy to provide both.
No comments:
Post a Comment