It is all around America, every day. Sickening violence by our law enforcement officers we commission to protect us. American on American with firearm violence at an all time high to mass shootings. Turn on the TV.......and many of our favorite action/adventure shows depict physical and sexual violence. Go the the movies.....action adventure films with car crashes and shootouts. Go to the stadium or sporting event and we are bashing one another on football fields and boxing or wrestling rings. Go to computer games and more of the same. It simply is an obsession with us.
I am wondering if our competition via capitalism and cult of individualism in our politics and economic system are an expression of our need to dominate and win at all cost or a result of some innate need to inflict harm out of resentment, fear or survival impulse? I don't have the answer and our social scientists and psychologists don't seem to either. It starts early, such as as bullying among our kids in school. And expresses itself all through our aging process.
There is no doubt that the culture of Trumpism, to attack and dominate has either unleashed, released our violent urges or Trumpites have modeled such behavior and many of us want to mimic it for some reason or other.
It is time for a national reckoning on cause and effect and an examination of solutions, culturally and politically. This atmosphere in which we live is untenable. For many life is unlivable, in too many cases literally due to violence done to them.
Cruelty is a companion of violence, often a precursor to it. The ideology of our far right in the political sphere exhibits it every day. Political leaders in Texas (Abbott) and Florida (DeSantis, Scott) embody the worst of it with their repeated abuse of migrants and citizens alike. Toughness in the far right culture is a key positive attribute to these people and a small cabal of these types now dominate the leadership in our House of Representatives and are cheered on by many.
I for one find this culture of cruelty oppressive and intolerable. But it now dominates our everyday lives. Ironically the far right espouses the dominance of religion over our politics but the religion they advocate is punitive and fear inducing, not a religion of love and forgiveness. Our religious leaders have failed us and we cannot depend on them to aid in the humanizing and gentleness of our society. Our political leaders on the right undermine efforts to create a society that values caring and support for one another.
I have no answers, but despair is unacceptable. Hope resolves to perfect the human condition, the goal of liberalism is the answer. We need to empower more advocates for liberalism in every sphere of our society, political, social, religious and commercial. Be a liberal. Support liberals, vote for liberals, worship with liberals and do business with liberals. That is a beginning. But liberals must remind themselves and be reminded by conscientious conservatives that liberalism can also transition into oppression as world history reminds us. There is a fine line between freedom, tolerance and oppression.
Let me propose a possible solution to the current environment of violence with which we Americans live. What is missing from our national culture and governance is the concept of Social Responsibility. Lawmaking and governance must factor this concept into both lawmaking and administration of government at all levels. It is sometimes discussed but never has there been an attempt at evaluating government and civic action into the world of commerce/capitalism from the viewpoint of the social impact institutions in those sectors as well as religion.
So, I'd propose we explore methods of creating oversight of all actions and policies through some sort of Social Responsibility Commission. Possibly this Commission would have term limited members appointed or elected representing citizens from every State or geographic region of the U.S.A. It should be non-partisan but consist of representation of both liberal and conservative viewpoints. Cases would be brought much like they are to courts with citizens able to bring cases that are considered to violate the Common Good or the Social Responsibility of the offending institution or organization.
The Commission should have the authority to either create rewards or sanctions on the acting organizations/institutions whose actions are brought before the commission by citizens. A clearing house would be needed to screen the issues/actions brought by citizens for their merit for action by the Commission, lest it be overwhelmed by trivia or manipulation.
What has been missing in our litigation system is this concept of the common good/social responsibility. This concept, roughed out here would require extensive work to assure fairness and relevance to citizens rights and well being. The Commission would be a new forum to provide our citizenry the opportunity to have public discussion about issues and actions that impact our daily lives.
Give it some thought. I know many of you can greatly improve on this very crude blueprint to save our democracy from self ruin.
'Disgusting, like a dog': See the unbelievable Trump-MSNBC segment (Comedian Matt Friend) - YouTube