And Never the Twain Shall Meet?

We live in a country that I believe is fighting over how best to care for its people. I believe that even though it seems the two sides are so dissimilar that truly they want some of the same things, they just see a different way of going about it. Of course, there are extremist on both sides but we will ignore these people as they usually won’t see reason.

The left would like for the government to provide everything for all people. The people that view this as the best way believe it is the most compassionate to help people and provide for those less fortunate.

The right believe that people should be more autonomous and not depend on the government. These people typically want more power back in local hands rather than a large government for fear of the tendency to be corrupt and wasteful.

The left sees the right as being uncaring, harsh even mean. The right sees the left as being spineless, fall for anything socialists. There is a little truth in both of these statements.

I would like to propose, as I previously stated, that for many on both sides, the outcome they desire is very similar. Unfortunately, with our media manipulating so much of what we see and hear, we typically hear the extremes, because extremes sell, and the media are all about money. Many on both sides then fall victim to the extreme messages they hear and instead of reasoning and trying to understand both sides they get worked up into a scared, frustrated place of reaction instead of action.

This narrative is solely for the purpose of getting people to RESPECTFULLY talk and listen to each other! To think about where the other persons’ view points may be coming from, to be empathetic, to listen with a caring heart to ALL positions. I’ve found that this is what most people want anyway, to be heard!

Now, on to the topic at hand. For this topic I will not be approaching the extremist of either side. Far right or far left are both so far wrong they don’t see anyone’s view point but their own, they have become so entrenched and narrow in their vision that they can’t think of the nation as a whole let alone kindness to someone with a different thought than theirs. So, let’s begin.

I agree, at times, those with a right leaning view, can sound callous and uncaring about those in need. They can be so dogmatic that they can’t see the forest for the trees. The dogma quotes the ‘rules’ but forgets the heart and yes above all things we should LOVE.

The left say they care, they want to show this care by having the government provide so very much for all. Thus they want to increase taxes, in order to pay for everybody’s everything and not thinking about how that affects business, the very businesses that provide jobs for these everybody’s. The left quotes things about the heart but forgets the basics of government, economics but most of all, history.

The right uses the Bible to push their ‘rules’; the left uses the Bible to show how we should be compassionate. I would like to show that both are wrong, and both are also right. All this of course is in my humble opinion and if you want to make nasty comments then you prove you are the type person that can’t listen and think without reacting.

Many times the left uses the early church in the apostle of Acts to show how those with more gave up what they had to help those with less. However, I would like to point out that this was totally voluntary, that they were not giving money to a government who would misuse, and corrupt the power that money gave them. The gift of their assets was used locally, administered in person and with compassion, not by a government were all compassion is removed and much of the money is wasted on administration costs or worse, squandered due to corruption.

Many times the right uses the Bible verses about being laziness bringing poverty so why should we pay for their laziness. And yes, this is true, but this shouldn’t be used as a reason to abandon those that are children of those that are lazy. They also use the ‘rules’ about people’s choices and lifestyles and end up sounding nothing like the pharisees with the stones, when Jesus said, “cast the first stone,” because we all are less than perfect.

We could continue in this vein with environmental issues as well, some thinking that we have to care for this fragile earth or we die, while others think we can treat it anyway we please because God is stronger than our trash. While I tend to be in the middle. I believe that in the beginning of man, God designed for man to take care of the earth. I don’t believe God ever wants us to abuse anything, ever. I believe recycling, being careful with consumption of fossil fuels, research for more efficient but safe energies and in general, not being wasteful. But, I do believe that nature has shown herself powerful time and again, and we humans need to get over ourselves when we think we can control the earth. Yes, we need to be cautious and smart, no, we do not need to put people’s well being behind our supposed control of the earth. Middle ground.

But as with the aspects I mentioned before, our media panders to the extreme because the extreme sells. Why can’t we have politicians and leaders who are more balanced? My guess is because they would never get air time, never get attention therefore not get elected because they are not extreme. I believe this is the very reason we ended up with the two pitiful candidates we had for this last election….because extremes sell and our nation isn’t taking the time to think for themselves. Rather, we are reacting to the extremes we see.

I would like to expound on possible solution to these differences. The first and most important step is that we need to all practice empathy! The second equally important step: we need to avoid the media that speaks to extremes, find the truth, remembering the truth is usually somewhere in the middle, sometimes leaning toward one side, and sometimes to another but the media rarely tells the whole of it. Search for truth. Read from several different sites, and not the junk ones!

In the same way the ministry of magic in Harry Potter along with dreadful Umbridge, tried to take true learning out of the classroom at Hogwart’s because the truth might be unpleasant, our schools have been slowly refusing to teach the truth about history because it is unpleasant. But history can teach us many things, and the more unpleasant the more we can learn from it. For example, history shows us that every time a government becomes too powerful it crumbles. Power follows money, so the more the government taxes the more power it has.

Our schools have also stopped teaching kids to think. Teachers are forced to focus on the test and are teaching generalized portions of the facts but not the reason, the why, the how and therefore our kids do not have the ability to think critically, about anything! And no this is not teachers’ fault, this is the fault of government’s over reaching power. Public schools have gone down in efficacy while what we spend continues to go up and the government meddles in the classroom.

So as an exercise in critical thinking, let us imagine a utopic world. A world where everyone is fed, everyone has opportunity to better themselves, and everyone has the opportunity to express this betterment by being successful.

I believe that there is not a person in this nation who would not be thrilled to be a part of this world. Well, of course there are those extremist who don’t want to listen but again, we will just put them aside for this practice.

How would we build such a world? Would giving more money to a government create this world? Or would teaching people to care be more effective?

Let’s work through the first scenario. Let’s increase taxes to the point where the government can provide food for all, school for all and a job for all. Those with little will be very happy to finally feel like they are on equal footing; a sigh of relief. For a short time, the world will seem utopic. But after a few a year, the small local business that provided groceries to the neighborhood closes down. He can no longer afford to pay the exorbitant taxes and keep up with the wages required for this society. Now he is out of a job and he too lives solely on the government and we have fewer people and one less business to pay taxes. Over time, all small business succumb to the this same scenario leaving only the large corporations to provide all business, products and services. Prices begin to go up because there is no competition. Yes some say that the government could regulate those prices and they do. But pretty soon, all color is lost. There is no joy in a world where there is no choice. In order to continue to make money the large corporations simplify their stock and trades, they no longer have to compete because they are the sole provider. We as consumers are left with bland, generic choices, or none at all. People begin to be tired of this dull world, especially artists, we like color, change and choices. And this world doesn’t begin to show how that now with the government having so much power because we gave the control of everything trying to build our utopic world; this government, (that is already corrupt) spends less and less on its people and more and more on the ones running the government. Possibly letting businesses pay off politicians, in order to by-pass some of the regulations. The politicians don’t want to give up their jobs, it is far too lucrative and slowly the class divide is bigger than it’s ever been. More money is spent on administrative and delivery costs for all these things the government provides that by the time it reaches the people, very little is left.

Second scenario: this one is tough. It’s going to take work, the change will not happen overnight as in scenario one. Let’s begin by loving our neighbor, easier said than done. We would then need to continue treating people the way we would want to be treated. But the most important steps would be to begin to teach this kindness and discipline to our children, teaching them to think outside of themselves. Kindness that isn’t a forced apology when you don’t mean it, but a kindness that gets the child to understand how what she did was hurtful so that they then want to apologize, even though pride will make it difficult. As for discipline, not the punishment, I mean teaching them how to control themselves. Control not only their body, but their thoughts, their emotions and help them see that emotions are not what make one a person of value. A person of value is one who overcomes those emotions and reasons with empathy in their life. The next significant step would be to take power away from the government. Stop sending them money. Instead these people who are being taught to care will help their neighbor, a caring that makes a difference beyond monetary. When a neighborhood helps their poor, there is no loss in administrative cost. When a neighborhood provides for its schools they focus on the students learning what is important not passing a test. Pop opens up his local grocery store and does great business for the people near him. He doesn’t get famously rich, but he is happy and content helping his neighbor, living life with his neighbor. They help each other as they have needs.

Now before the readers get all up in arms, stop take a breath, think for at least two days, maybe even research. Yes, I know these are extremes but there is truth here. There are countries around the world that have tried the first scenario, many of the voters voted with a pure heart wanting to help others, but it doesn’t usually work. Venezuela is a prime example. It sounds like compassion to have the government help, it’s easier. Using a little bit of my money and a whole lot of other peoples to try to help. But the cold impersonal government never does it as well as a caring community.

As for the second scenario, I doubt there will be anyone with the fortitude to try it, it seems too risky to trust humans doesn’t it? However, when we give all our money to the government we are trusting humans, and from what I see, politicians are not the people I would trust with my life. I believe that every person would admit that government is at least a little corrupt, if not a lot and quite wasteful. Why then give them more money? That just doesn't equate. Another point about trust, God made us with free will. He trusted us, it was His design to take that risk, knowing we would screw it up but that in our trying there are many wonderful things about this life that we would have missed if we were simply beings with no choice. And if you don’t believe there is a God you have to agree that free will is what makes our life wonderful! By taking away choice, you take away life. Yes it is a risk! But as with love, the beautiful wonderful things are always a risk.

So, now that you have read this, yes, I am right leaning in my political views. No, I’m not the hard nose rule follower, I love people, all people. But I don’t believe bigger government will ever be the answer to anything. Love is!

I do not want angry letters, I have the right to my opinion. There was nothing said in this message that was in any way belittling to anyone. The point is to show that most do want the same thing. We have more in common than we think people. Let’s work together as a people, not as a government and get this party started!!! Let's love one another!