America the Insane
5 min readThis has been a strange year for the United States. Over the past year we’ve witnessed the inauguration of our first black President. The government approved bailouts of both the banking and the auto industries, respectively. We closed Guantanamo. The President proposed his universal health care plan. The Republicans held a Tea Party. In California, the state supreme court decreed that gays no longer had the right to marry .  And finally, the President was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Did I mention that we’re still in a recession? It feels like a full year and it’s only October. It’s only October and we’re still kind of going through the culture shock of drastic changes in these here United States.
I say this only because it’s never been more apparent how polarized our country has become. We’re not more polarized because of the problems, but we are in terms of wanting to place a name and a blame to these problems. Consequently, we’ve never been more separate, more partisan, and more blind than we are today. Now this is odd because we’re living in a time where we have never been more in touch with one another too. Ask people about how they heard that Michael Jackson passed away and they might tell you they found out on TMZ.com or Facebook newsfeeds from one of their friends. By the way, that’s how I found out. That’s almost frightening. It’s frightening because it’s one small example of how fast news travels. For better or for worse. We are now all a part of the media machine and as a consequence we are now all a part of the bigger picture.
So why am I bringing this up? Why am I writing this fluffy opinion piece on what I perceive as the new frontier of not just American politics but the new world media? Simple. Never have opinions mattered more than they do now. In this time and in this place. Never have opinions been so abused to create a new kind of polarization – and sometimes even a new kind of hate that we’re using in the social media to breed a kind of mob mentality of quick judgments.
Now, you would think that in a year that unveiled our country’s first black President that would be weird enough – simply because we needed to adjust to the political landscape that looks a little different than what we’ve been used to for the past eight years. Let’s face it; our previous President did not leave this country better than he found it. But to award President Obama the Nobel Peace Prize? Are you kidding me? What exactly did he do? This week, he signed a bill that pledged more troops overseas. I may not know much, but I do know that sending more troops to dual fronts isn’t exactly fodder for peace. Even given that, nothing in his presidency thus far would suggest that he actually did anything that would yet warrant the “Peace Prize.” I did write, “yet.” While I think it’s unfair to judge an entire presidency based upon less than 300 days in office, I have to let you know Mr. President that I’m watching. That we’re watching. And we’re hoping that you do something because the road of good intentions is an imaginary one without real action.
So the rest of this article is addressed to my fellow Americans who want their America back. This is to the Americans who threatened to pull their children out of school on the off chance that they might witness either President Obama’s inauguration or his speech on education (specifically directed towards the nation’s children). This is to the Americans who threw a “Tea Party” in the name of having your voices heard. This is also to the Americans who continue to dance on defeated Administrations of years past (particularly the Bush Regime). What exactly are we afraid of? Seriously? Zombies? Is anyone else finding these things repulsive? You see, what I have been trying to wrap my mind around is this: what happened to my America? Because the America I see represented through the social media i.e. Twitter and Facebook seems less compassionate, less willing to bury the hatchet and work towards peaceful resolutions and are more desirous of burying one another. This new America walks a line that is dangerously close to an outright revolution that pits socialism against capitalism. But ask yourself this: does either really work? If the economic downturn is not just a local problem, but a global one (and we know it is) – ask yourself what does the global market actually look like? Isn’t it already comprised of many economic ideas in motion? I know I’m over simplifying things. I know this. But if everyone is a part of a global community, if everyone participates, how can only one part of anything be to blame?
I leave you with this: when I was a kid, we considered it a privilege to witness inaugurations (or any other news worthy event). Who, over 30, doesn’t remember events such as a space shuttle launch…or worse, a space shuttle tragedy practically first hand? It’s strange to think that this country now appears less patriotic. It’s hard to be proud of a country where parents don’t want to have their children listen to the leader of our country because they disagree with his politics. It’s hard to be proud of a country that really isn’t interested in finding common ground. I’m watching you too, America. That’s right. Don’t think that I don’t see your hypocrisy. But I refuse to give up on you. I refuse to believe that you always stay as close minded as you appear to be right now. After all, it’s only October. With three months to go, there might be hope for you yet.
