Democracy Suicide
I am sickened by the politicization and polarization of health care and the epic battle to win no matter the cost. The glee the republicans in congress feel over depriving sick people of access to care makes me recoil in shame as a citizen of this country. John Adams made a startling remark in 1812. He said every democracy eventually commits suicide. I have been pondering the reasons for the inevitably of the demise of democracy since I read those words and witness daily how partisanship results in hypocrisy, deception and a win/lose paradigm that dehumanizes people, twisting their arms to compromise their principles, demanding loyalty to party at the expense of integrity. Freedom requires the courage to resist the pressure of the pack, to stand alone and risk rejection or revenge.
In a dictatorship the oppressor is external. Resistance is dangerous. Reprisals are imprisonment, execution. In a democracy, the oppressors are within us. Politicians are oppressed by their constituents fearing loss of votes for re-election. They are oppressed by a partisan system that gives power to a majority “whip” that speaks louder than their still, small, conscience. “Go along to get along, evil flourishes when good people do nothing.” Or to quote Joachim Prinz in his speech before Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech—the most urgent, most disgraceful, most shameful and most tragic problem is silence.”
How can the party in power applaud the very things they railed against when the other party was in power? When they watch the clips of themselves blaming the democrats for the very things they are now doing are they embarrassed, ashamed? Do they just accept hypocrisy as part of the game? Do they ever doubt themselves or discuss their inner conflict with a therapist, mate or spiritual advisor?
John Adams went on to say that democracy requires people who are morally, ethically, and spiritually evolved! Populace governed by moral/ethical principles and ideals that overcome fear and hatred, shame and blame. A populace that is immune to the manipulations of politicians and cons, politicians who are governed by their higher selves.
Clearly, the current state of our declining democracy is evidence that, despite our protestations of religious righteousness we are spiritually unfit victims of our inner oppressors, urging us to oppress others. Where is the suicide hotline for our self-destructing democracy?