The American divide; how great is it?

Question

Seems to me that there's two solitudes in America today, and neither one of them is talking to one-another. So, what's going to happen? How will it end? Is civil war a possibility? Increased domestic terrorism? How is this going to end up?

Answer 1

It's a paradigm issue. Democrats tend to believe in the social contract, that we are stronger as a nation when we empower each other and conduct our government for broad social benefit rather than for individual benefit. Republicans, on the other hand, operate from a lower level of human development where individual empowerment means "survival of the fittest", "a sucka's born every minute", "dominion over the planet means plunder rather than guardianship", "them first so that their "superior" genes survive", genecide, rigging elections, lying and torture are ok if it means their survival" sort of reasoning and so-called "values". They have never believed in the American Dream. Since the beginning of this democracy, the dream to be free and have a fair chance has been under attack by the Conservative's belief system. Republicans and Conservatives do not believe in the U.S. Constitution, unless it serves their self-interests. They have never been real Americans. Real Americans believe in free speech. Conservatives do not. Real Americans look out for each other's rights in our pluralistic society. Conservatives do not. Conservatives do not care for anyone but themselves and their own viewpoints, their own religions, their own bank accounts. That is their platform. They would have the rest of us put down like animals or enslaved if they could get away with it. They are not believers in the common good. They plunder, even from the weak. They do not care about their own neighbors or their own communities or people who are different than they are. They prefer to live in gated communities and build massive fences and walls. They relentlessly strive to disenfranchise as many people from the American Dream as possible. They fought against Americans who wanted slavery abolished. They fought against black Americans who wanted to vote. They fought against female Americans who wanted to vote. They fought against Americans who wanted to keep church and state separate. They fought against older and disabled Americans who wanted American public restrooms and sidewalks to accomodate wheelchairs. They fought against American workers who wanted a decent minimum wage and a forty-hour work week. They fight to this day against poor people by refusing to raise the minimum wage yet voting themselves raises in legislative bodies. They fought against American children and forced them to work like slaves in factories and mines. They fought against American children and spent our money making arms dealers rich while taking money away from the public school system. They fought against working American mothers who needed equal pay and decent childcare. They fought against hungry American babies and slashed preschool nutrional programs for the poor. They fought against pregnant poor Americans and slashed prenatal care programs. They fought against American healthcare professionals who were struggling to stop the spread of AIDS and they blocked the distribution of condoms that would have saved millions of American lives. They fought against American homosexuals who wanted to be able to rent a house or an apartment and live together in peace. They fought against American police organizations that pleaded for a ban on the guns that slaughter police officers and over 40,000 Americans every year. They fought against Americans who tried to protect the environment and people from pollution and poisons that are being put in the air and water, by conservatives, mostly. They fought against every American in court who has struggled to protect our freedom of speech. They fight against Americans who want the Internet to remain free. They fight against Americans who want peace and they fight to protect their right to profit from war. They fought against a common ground like this Yahoo site, a common ground where people from all tribes and nations of the world could gather and share ideas and problem-solving, the United Nations. Conservatives do not care about anyone but themselves. And they have . . .um . . ethical "issues" about how to properly count the votes in an election. Their vision has plunged this nation in horrible debt, set back science and technology and our national math and science scores to the point where our young people cannot even pass the new global job market tests while Republicans pandered to fringe religious groups for their votes, sold us out in NAFTA based contracts that thus far have benefitted only Republican held contracts and foreign nations and nationals, and divided this nation in order to plunder even the future of our children. How will it end? Well, we took back Congress this week, the military establishment got rid of Rumsfeld this week, the head of the RNC tucked tailed and crawled away this week, and Bush is a lame duck with no friends from his own party. This nation is strong. We will overcome the disease of intolerance and fascism that Bush and his ilk have unleashed for votes and fear factor. It's stronger than terrorism. It's stronger than our own stupidity. We have suffered a terrible fiscal set back and a terrible loss of respect around the world with creeps like Bolton representing us. But, life goes on. And so will the United States of America.

Answer 2

I don't know. But Republicans and Democrats are turning into the Shiites and Sunnis.

Take "great_american"s answer to this post: "it is conserative America with liberalism still trying out how to destroy it." Or 'dwh320' with "Lets just hope the President Bush grows a set of balls and stands up for America because he is all that left to stop them." ... them being ... other Americans?

That basic premise ... that the only true America is 'conservative America' ... that liberals are not real Americans. *That* is the attitude that will bring this country down ... Americans not just disagreeing, but insisting that they are the only true Americans (the way that Sunnis say that they are the only true muslims).

That is a *huge* concern of mine. It comes from both sides. (Check out the high level of intellectual discourse on YA politics). It has moved from partisan squabbling and even animosity, to Americans expressing open *hatred* for other Americans.

They have forgotten who the enemy is ... and fellow Americans ain't it!

People who talk like that just make a terrorist's day. He can say "my work is done here." They don't have to do anything more ... we are eating ourselves up from the inside. They don't have to attack Americans. We're doing it to each other.

Answer 3

O it gets somewhat worse with the aid of fact this administration is adamant on criticizing the former administration for blunders. This motives some human beings to be extremely conservative, and likewise it is undemanding to bypass the blame and Lie approximately issues, then turn around and say you have used the previous administration's blueprint on risk-free practices and take credit for it. So what in the Hell does one think of roughly LIARS and human beings taking credit for successes of the different administration? Shoving HCB, down peoples throats, passing sufficient money to congresspeople with grasping palms out for this bill. Stimulus equipment wow what a bust. united statesa. will quickly be divided 3 approaches extremely of two extra variety.

Answer 4

I don't like the environment either-I've never seen it this divided but I agree with Patois. I stayed quiet when I shouldn't have. I attended a candlelight vigil as we went into Iraq and when I should have been loud, we wept silently. This President tries very hard to divide us and at that, he's been successful. War heroes are openly mocked when they oppose him even on Veterans Day. I love this country and I won't be quiet anymore .

Answer 5

It is what the Nation needed... a wake up call to the dangers within. Now America will see the liberals fro what they are. Power crazed liars who will destroy even their own nations moral to gain power. They counted the dead American Solders with glee. Lets just hope the President Bush grows a set of balls and stands up for America because he is all that left to stop them. Get the veto pen out and ink it up.

Answer 6

I don't think we could have a civil war. I think the devide is really at the core issue of morals and values. which effect major decisions. I think if there is going to be a war, it will be between countries.

Answer 7

I don't think civil war is a possibility, but a lot of good things are going to be left undone.

Answer 8

we got screwed and this is where we are
lawyers go where the money is and that what hurt us the most and it wasn't legal but it's just like trying to stop a legislative raise you don't even know who they are and they just voted on a one hundred thousand dollar a years raise and their going to take it
don't tell me were divided were fhcked

Answer 9

There is no divide, it is conserative America with liberalism still trying out how to destroy it. As long as America stays conservative and progressive America will be successful, change course and America falters

Answer 10

whichever way it falls it isn't going to be nice.