The polarization of America is a larger problem than first appears...

[VenomJockey]

Polarization is taking place, or has already taken place, in almost every system we have. Requires a large, comprehensive solution.

https://bipartisanpolicy.org/polarization-problem-bigger-it-seems-and-so-solution/

Excerpt: "The polarized American political system of today is only part of a larger story. Since the mid-1960’s, the country as a whole has become more divided, economically, politically, socially and culturally. A few examples should suffice to make that clear. First, income and wealth distribution have become more polarized since then. Second, the gap between the Democrats and the Republicans on fundamental issues has widened, too. Third, social-cultural gaps have widened in many areas, from patterns of family formation to attitudes toward religion and even popular entertainment. All of these developments are related, and they have become mutually reinforcing."

 

[backlash]

We are no long one nation indivisible. I know several people that refuse to communicate with family members due to their different political beliefs. I will not discuss politics with some people because they get way too angry. Some to the point of losing control of themselves. I know 2 brothers that had a knock down drag out fist fight because one supports Trump and the other one Clinton.
I have no bumper stickers supporting flash point topics like political issues or guns. It's a sad situation and I'm afraid it's not going to improve.

 

[Bacpacker]

Pretty good article. Can't say I disagree with it. IMO, the seperation started shortly after WWII. And got much worse during the 60's. Many of the radicals of the sixtys have went into power on many levels now. In our education system in particular. Our younger generations have not been taught very much about the history of our country, the constitution being the foundation. Even our legal system has gotten to the point that they don't even bother reading it for the meaning , but rather how they can change it to fit their way of interpiting it.

I'm not sure there will be a "coming together" short of something terrible forcing everyones hand.

 

[Rick]

let me offer up this perspective.

The Divsion started concurrently with the efforts of the left to decontruct the country and constitution by giving more power tot he center and less to the people.

The "polarization" that some in mainstream media decry is simple We the People waking up to the left manipulations and pushing back. this is the "polarization" the left decries.
The Left has always been "polarized" and worked with the principle "by any means necessary" .

Middle America isnt quite there yet but is starting to realize it and this pushback is often called polarization by the media arm of the left.

 

[Sourdough]

Look.....This is really very, very simple. It is going to get ugly, and then it is going to get very ugly, and then flat'ass horrific.

The trigger event, the story, the justification, who is "Right" and who is "Wrong", none of that will matter, it is all just background noise.

You either have a plan for the survival of your family, your loved'ones, and the skills and supplies to implement and execute said plan.........or they will just be a grieving memory for those who did.

Everything else is just internet mental masturbation.

 

[Woody]

Whole heartedly agree. We have been led from thinking of ourselves as Americans first then separate groups second, to thinking of ourselves as separate groups first. The whole concept of what America and the Constitution stand for, is tossed to the side. The symbol of America is dividing us, not bringing us together.

The American experiment means that if you want to live in the United States using Sharia Law that is fine, but American law comes first. We are not going to change to accept you, you have to change to accept us. In your culture it might be fine to stone a woman for infidelity, in our Country it is not. Ours must come first. That woman has the same rights as everyone else. That is what America stands for. If you cannot accept that, America is not for you.

We have been led to believe we are disrespecting others rights or beliefs by not allowing someone to stone that woman. It is their right to do so because that is their custom. This is untrue. They are being disrespectful to us by not respecting what we stand for and why we exist.

We have been led to believe that groups are ‘oppressed’ and not given the same rights as the rest. This is untrue also. They have the same rights as everyone does, they might just choose not to use them. They are not ‘special’ or need special rules in our society. No one is or does, we are all equal.

We all give up certain freedoms to exist as a society, that is just how it goes. Think of it like a community with a Home Owners Association. Before you purchase there, you read the covenants. If you agree with them you move there and abide by them. If you do not agree you find another community to move into. You do not move into a community when you disagree with those covenants and expect to not abide by them.

 

[VThillman]

The polarization of 'civil viewpoints' has been with us since pre-Revolutionary days. Unfortunately, we have mostly lost the buffer zone between the extremes; the Center has effectively disappeared. To borrow on Mr. Yeats' description, the center has not held; the Sphinx has reached the outskirts of Jerusalem.

 

[SheepDog]

We could turn around the polarity in this country in one generation. It would have to start in the schools with real education. We will have to get rid of the socialist indoctrination and teach people to think critically. We have to teach history - the truth of history and that includes national history. We have to teach science and scientific reasoning. We have to teach technology and the imaginative process that propels it. We have to teach engineering and the logic behind it and finally we have to teach math, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We need to offer geometry, algebra and calculus in the first eight years. We need to challenge our children instead of catering to them. Physical and fiscal fitness through sports and entertainment have to be included as does appreciation of the classics. Without the great works of the past there is no future. Grades 9 through twelve have to be split between those who want to get more education and those who want to learn a trade. Following the first twelve years there should be trade schools and college.
Society has to learn to accept revolutionary ideas and concepts and be able to debate them without emotional involvement. We need to get the money out of politics. We do that by teaching the truth of political office and that it is a calling to serve and the only benefit is a better, free, society that builds on self reliance and actively restricts the government. Just as we learn to live within our means we have to ensure that government does too.
The process is simple but it will not be easy. It takes work to build a nation but it takes a lot more work to rebuild it.

 

[angie_nrs]

What is happening now is simply human nature. Many of the powerful are corrupt and suppress others to maintain their power, control and wealth. I can't think of a time in human history when that didn't happen. It doesn't make it right, but it is predictable. Many times that erupts into a civil war.

I do think the middle class is becoming less tolerant of the control exerted over them. That's why the "news" is really starting to enrage folks. The college scandal going on right now is a perfect example of how the powerful are corrupt. It's nothing new....it's just starting to come out into the open. It most certainly is still happening on many levels.

On the flip side, I think some of the division talked about on the "news" is not real. I do not think that racial divisions are what the "news" wants us to think they are. I know in my area there really isn't any racial divide. Most of the populace in my area are white, but I have not personally seen any racial division against other races. Perhaps it is different in other areas but I'm just not seeing it here and we have a large influx of foreign workers in the summer.

Sadly, I think it's going to take a 911 type of event to get people to wake up to how wonderful our country is and to not hate it for being exceptional. When did that become a bad thing? I do think it starts in our educational system. Back in my day, we started each day with the Pledge of Allegience. I'm not sure kids these days even know what that is. If they are not educated on what our country has gone through and why, I'm afraid they are doomed to repeat those same mistakes and actions of our past. They do not know WHY we have a Constitution and Bill of Rights. I hope they don't have to figure that out the hard way.

 

[Rick]

Again.. I think the "polarity" is the result of one side having woken up to what the other side does and finally pushing back. The left has been acting polarized for decades.