What Are You Going to Do When They Come for You?

With election craziness already in full swing I got to thinking about how the extremist minorities in both parties have taken control, leaving the majority of us in the middle without a real voice.        

This is a message for that minority of the American population on the extreme Left and extreme Right, and for those who can’t be bothered to pay attention because they are not directly affected - yet. As both sides stray deeper and deeper into extremist rhetoric and actions, the nets they cast sweep in more and more of their “enemies”. An ever-growing list of conduct or speech not to be tolerated or even allowed dictates who has rights (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom period) and who doesn’t.

       Left – ironically their “everything goes and is normal” ideology doesn’t have room for ideas, words, and people they disagree with, or those who disagree with them. The scary part is they don’t see their own hypocrisy, and even worse, they are totally inept at connecting with mainstream America but see the problem being with mainstream America, not them. Cancelling the past based on current attitudes doesn’t faze them as they seem incapable of understanding the damage they are doing. Again, the irony and hypocrisy escape these zealots.

       Right – their Orwellian definitions of free speech, religious freedom, and basic human rights only apply to those with whom they agree and who agree with them. While trying to sell themselves as tolerant and freedom-loving, they clearly are tolerant of only what they deem acceptable. Same goes for who gets freedom and who gets shouted down or banned. The one difference is that these people are adept at communicating - using double-speak and crafting messages that stir strong emotional reactions in their fanbase. All others be damned, as this group has no use for anyone who won’t fall in line.

      For the majority of Americans, both of these extreme positions are ludicrous and scary. As we come into the 2024 election cycle, we must make our voices heard - loud and clear. It’s imperative to vote out the extremists to get us back to a government of the people, by the people, for the people that will work as one to do what is best for the country. You know, the foundation on which this country was founded.

     We have to get past the “Congress is horrible….except for my senators and representatives”. You may be one of the lucky few for whom that is actually true, but more likely it is cognitive dissonance that causes this reflexive feeling. We also must rise above the partisanship that makes compromise to get to the best solutions for today’s issues impossible and divides us into smaller and smaller groups (making it easier to pit us against each other, so we don’t focus on the shit-show that is Congress). Washington DC – and many statehouses – don’t represent the majority of citizens anymore. Both extremes peddle their minority views as if they were universal, and dig in deeper when resistance is encountered, denying reality and making progress impossible.

      History repeatedly shows us what happens when extremist regimes take control, and we are seeing the foundations of this behavior forming and growing quickly on both sides. The visceral rhetoric escalates almost daily with ever-increasing calls for severe action against the “enemy”. That enemy is always referred to as “they”, making it easy to add to the list without having to define or explain the reasoning. And by crafting communications to drive strong emotional reactions, those in power continue to get away with increasingly drastic and dangerous actions to quash dissent. There are too many past examples across the globe for us to let either extreme take full control here!

      I am not taking sides here as both extremes are irrational, fanatical, and damn dangerous. My call, once again, is to pay attention to what is going on, be knowledgeable about the issues impacting our country and be wary of anyone telling you that he/she is the only one who can make things better. Anyone who continually spouts such BS is out for power, not to do what’s right for the country. So be active, be involved, think, and vote for the candidates who best align with your beliefs and values – and vote with your brain not your emotions. I’m hopeful that common sense and common cause will win out over both the Left and Right extremists and get us back on track.

Not interested in getting involved or moderating your extreme position? I’ll leave you with this parting thought: As the nets are cast over wider and wider swaths of the population, what will you do when they come for you?

Hip Update : 4 weeks after surgery and all is well. Got full clearance for physical activity based on what my new hip will tolerate. It’s been an amazingly quick recovery and I’m thankful for all the people who made it possible – especially my wife for being there for whatever I’ve needed to get this far.

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com  1-29-2024