“Politics doesn’t have to be a raging fire destroying everything in its path.”
My friend King and I have a political commentary newswire on constant blast via WhatsApp. I met him at HBO in LA. He’s always been a political junkie; liberal-leaning, west coast earth and people loving dude. He was a child during the MLK, Malcolm X, and both Kennedy assassinations. Being so young during that tumultuous time has had an immense influence on his world-view and opinion of America as a nation. Our conversations are well-thought-out and usually spur a level of critical thinking beyond your average texts between friends.
We go back and forth almost daily with commentary on current events.
King:
During the past two weeks, our WhatsApp newswire has been going full-force. I suppose a blatant coup attempt would get the lines of communication running hot. Below are small excerpts from a recent conversation between the King and myself. I am sure they echo the discussions going on all over the country.
Hatred. Division. Confusion. Manipulation. American vs American. Unfolding in front of our eyes in real-time. This division is playing out via politics because mainstream and social media are accentuating and perpetuating the divisiveness in the name of profit. In the past, network news was a loss leader. Now, television news is BIG business. It’s for this reason they deserve a very large portion of the blame for our social unrest. It is way more lucrative to divide us into sides.
I also believe that our education system is failing us miserably.
The frustration of unequal justice is in the air and is palpable. The hypocrisy is so blatant that it’s easy to understand why we are at a collective boiling point in America.
My response:
There is no greater crime than what just happened on January 6. We’ve never seen such irresponsibility on the part of an elected leader (and their party). The storming of the Capitol was variously described as treason, insurrection, sedition, domestic terrorism, and an attempt by Trump to carry out a self-coup.
It is a bit too little too late that the social media giants are only now choosing to ban the ‘president’ from the airwaves. What about the past four years, the thousands of lies and conspiracy theories we’ve had to endure then try to defend to our friends and family? What about all the violence these Tweets have incited even before January 6?
The bigger question is, why are these lies so hard to discern for some people?
It is my opinion that there could be much more significant oversight to help mitigate hate speech and hostile behavior on social networks. There has to be quick action when a largely followed Twitter profile tells obvious untruths and incites violence - especially if they are an elected leader. Allowing those of influence to filtrate hatred conspiracies to millions of people has dire consequences. Freedom of speech is one thing, being responsible with your platform is another.
Social media platforms must take the steps to reduce hate-speech. Yes, it will continue to exist, but we can at least find solutions with more awareness. The future of our social discourse may in fact depend on this corrective action.
All this toxicity that has infiltrated our national psyche has taken a collective psychological toll on us, whether we realize it not.
Some events and consequences that have transpired in the past 2 weeks:
The process of affirming the next president was halted by mob violence.
Some historians are calling the attack the most severe assault on the Capitol since the British sacked the building in 1814. The British, not fellow Americans.
142 Republicans voted last week to overturn the results of a lawful election.
In other words, they went on the record in favor of overruling the will of the majority and installing a dictator. A guy who lost by 7 million votes. Subsequently, these lawmakers have been cut off from 20 of their biggest corporate PAC donors.
Trump has been impeached a second time by the House of Representatives.
The first time in American history a President has been impeached twice (in his first term no less). First time for extortion, and this time for ‘incitement of insurrection’. Will the Senate convict?
We know dozens of people on a terrorist watch list were in Washington for the pro-Trump events on January 6, and many of those rioters intended on capturing and assassinating Federal officials.
Chanting “Hang Mike Pence.” What a surprise that day that ended in a chaotic crime rampage.
Five people died, including a Capitol Police officer who was beaten to death.
Blood is on the hands of more than a few elected officials, police officers, citizens.
The FBI, DOD, DOJ, DHS, DOD, and Interior have opened more than 170 investigations with indications that many more are likely to come.
Where was the FBI before this tragedy occurred? There is zero doubt that they had intelligence tipping this riot off in the weeks leading up.
Over 25,000 members of the National Guard will attend the inauguration. Another 4,000 Guard members from 19 states have been activated to protect “key infrastructure and capitol buildings in their states”.
Frightening that D.C. and our state capitals are under high surveillance during what is supposed to be a peaceful transfer of power.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday (Jan 19) accused President Trump of provoking the violent crowd that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
“The mob was fed lies,” McConnell said. Take a moment and realize that only now, following countless debacles and after the Presidential election has been certified, McConnell says something true. He’s always known the truth.
Nearly 1 in 5 people charged in the Capitol riot have a military history.
The significant percentage of those in connection to the riot raises questions as to the extent of extremism in the ranks of the armed forces. The Pentagon announced an investigation into the Defense Department’s procedures to screen and prevent white supremacists from entering the military. Also, we need to take care of our veterans - the PTSD is real.
Two US Capitol Police officers were suspended and at least 10 more are under investigation. Federal agents are currently looking at whether current and former law enforcement officers played a role in the riot.
I don’t want to make presumptions here, but it looks like there were people on the inside helping these rioters breach the Capitol. Apparently, a Capitol police officer grabbed a rioter’s hand, shook it, and said, 'It's your house now.' It is believed that the policeman was acting out of fear. But no one knows the truth yet.
Deep breath. That is a ton to take in, and 2021 just started!
We just witnessed one of the largest national embarrassments in the history of the U.S. It was surreal, it was horrifying. And it is ok to feel angry or sad or confused.
The failed coup attempt was hardly spontaneous, all of it was spelled out on far-right social media. Hardcore Trump supporters openly traded advice on how to steer clear of D.C. police officers, how to pry open the doors of the Capitol, and how to get illegal guns into the city.
What good is our intelligence apparatus? How can we restore trust in the Institutions that are sworn to protect the people? Who exactly are they swearing to protect - only white people?
Common sense dictates that this riot should have been stopped way before it happened. How can we feel safe again in a country that openly allows domestic terrorism on Capitol Hill?
No matter what side you are on, the facts above are the facts. Clearly, we cannot expect our elected officials to pick up the slack and do what is best for the people. We have to be the change we want to see in the world. Whatever that means to you: staying informed, having healthy conversations, volunteering, running for office, studying law, seeking therapy, critical thinking... We are fools if we do not get more proactive about our democracy, begin to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, where do we live today and where do we want our children to live tomorrow? How many more mass shootings, stolen elections, Covid deaths, or insurrections must we endure as a country?
Do you want to live in a country that’s leaders politicize wearing a mask during a f***ing pandemic? When it comes to public health, politics must take a backseat. It’s not only common sense, it’s common decency.
It is truly up to We the People to heal this pain and division in this time of crisis. The reality is we have not seen the end of this destructive and dangerous behavior. Surely we’ve evolved as a people since the 1860s. Right?
Politics has become like professional wrestling. The ratings may be great, but the bloodshed is all too real. If the media continues to stoke the flame and continually feed red meat to an already pissed-off populous, the America we know will be unrecognizable in the very near future.
There is such a thing as nuance and gray area. Not everything is black and white, just like everyone cannot be defined by their religious beliefs or political party. These prevalent subtleties need to be highlighted by the right and left-wing echo chambers. People over profit, truth over disinformation. What a concept.
It will have to be a collective effort for national healing to occur. I do not have the answer as to how we can meet our fellow citizens in the middle to help mend this polarization. But I do know that every one of us is responsible.
It begins with love, awareness, and a willingness to listen to each other. Across the aisle and across state borders.
There is no going back, it is a new world. We have to find a way to better it.