‘We all covered up in it...’

Don Parkhurst

“These are the times that try men’s souls.” Is it an overstatement to suggest that Thomas Paine was describing our own times? An understatement? Clearly, circumstances have compelled many of us to do a fair amount of soul-searching during these turbulent days. Is there a point, other than some degree of catharsis, to our reluctant self-examination? Do solutions exist, or even some form of compromise, for the political and social divisions that threaten to tear apart this great experiment in democracy, equality and freedom?

Like many others, I’ve found myself caught up in the savage political arena of social media.  I became entangled by the outlandish and toxic posts appearing regularly on Facebook and other venues. At first, I tried to stay detached, above the fray, telling myself that I would not sink to the lowest common denominator. But the more I was exposed to the accusations, lies, half-truths, and general poison that oozed online like gangrene, the more I found myself ensnared and emotionally invested. 

The emotions came in stages: at first amusement, then irritation and contempt, and finally a sense of outrage. I replied to some of the more absurd posts in very caustic and even abusive language. Then I began to post my own views, some equally outrageous.  I became living testimony to Nietzsche’s warning: “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster…” This began to take a toll on my emotional health and inflicted damage with some of my close social bonds. So, when things finally reached a melting point, I made the decision to suspend my Facebook account for my own peace of mind. This is not to say that I’m oblivious to the uneasy state of things in America and in the world. A general state of oblivion is in large part to blame for the mess that now stares us in the face.

My existential crisis with social media is a microcosm of our nation’s current identity crisis and culture wars. In his Gettysburg Address, President Lincoln said, “Now we are in the midst of a great civil war.” Upon reflection, this should come as no surprise. And so, we are in a war of sorts — not a conflict of armies, artillery, or great battles — but a clash of ideologies. A dark underbelly has always festered in our nation’s history: slavery, lynchings, paranoia of immigrants, gender discrimination, exploitation of the poor and working classes, genocide of native peoples, corruption at the highest levels, and on and on. Somehow, the better angels of our nature always seemed to prevail (am I being too idealistic here?) or at least managed to push those demons down into our collective subconscious. Gradually, over the past quarter century or so, those demons have boiled to the surface to dominate, in many ways, our national psyche. Perhaps it all began with the Islamophobia resulting from 9/11. Or maybe the demons had already clawed their way to the surface before that horrible and traumatic event. Somehow all this paranoia, hatred and refusal to listen to other perspectives has become the new norm. “We the people” seem to have lost the ability to compromise, which for decades had been a hallmark of our Republic. 

In today’s America, Jill on the Right points an accusing finger at John on the Left, and John points his accusing middle finger right back. But in truth, there’s plenty of blame to go around. As Denzel Washington’s character Tripp said in the movie “Glory,” — “Ain’t nobody’s hands clean. We all covered up in it.”  The Right is no longer the party of social conservatism, but has instead undertaken a new socio-political agenda: allowing the use of public funds for private schools, censorship of books, muzzling the free press, suppressing freedom of expression, erasing minority voices from history, arresting citizens without due process of the law, disregarding court rulings, disenfranchising minorities from the electoral process, tax codes that favor the rich over the working middle class, fostering absurd conspiracy theories, alienating our allies, playing games with the economy through frivolous tariff wars, cutting or eliminating social programs designed to help those in need, endowing the President with king-like powers while minimizing the role of Congress, dictating education curricula and punishing schools and universities who defy those dictates, and putting our electoral process up for sale to billionaires like a cheap bordello.  The radical right elevates White people, particularly wealthy White people, over peoples of color and non-Christian beliefs. The list goes on and on. The Right used to represent restraint, common sense, fiscal responsibility, with decisions largely left to state and local governments. It was the Ego to the Left’s Super Ego. No more.

The Left is just as culpable, having alienated mainstream Americans on both sides with outrageous agendas such as “Defund the Police” (maybe the most ridiculous idea in the history of ideas).  Other examples include the decision to “anoint” Hilary Clinton as their presidential candidate in 2016 because “it’s her time,” rather than allow a more open convention with a forum for other candidates such as Bernie Sanders. This left some of us with no option but to follow our conscience and vote third party.  Similarly, anointing Kamala Harris in the past election after Joe Biden’s foolish and stubborn pride resulted in his late withdrawal from the race. Voters were denied the choices offered by primaries and an open convention.  The entire “Woke” movement has also alienated entire segments of the population. Language is more fluid than ever before in history, in part due to technology. Many people, particularly older citizens, are confused by the politically-correct lexicon of Woke. Which pronoun should I use? Have I offended someone?  Do I say Native American or Indigenous Peoples? Do I say African-American or Black? Is the correct term “gay” or “queer?” Did I just utter a racial slur? Did I just make a homophobic comment?  Should I even speak at all, or will I embarrass myself or be ostracized? OMG, will I be canceled? The more zealous advocates of Woke just wait to pounce on the slightest misstep. Like Alvin Toffler’s theory of Future Shock — that people will not be able to adjust psychologically to rapidly changing technologies — so Woke has done the same to people, linguistically and socially. Perfectly innocent and well-meaning people are ruffling feathers without meaning to do so. And just as the radical Right promotes White supremacy and bigotry, the extreme Left promotes White shame and guilt. The result: a national identity crisis. Is it any wonder that so many white working-class males are drawn to the Right, sometimes against their own self-interest? In many ways, Woke, while well-intentioned, has paralyzed communication and incited resentment in those who have difficulty adjusting to Woke’s rather Puritanical ideology. The lesson here is that tolerance, while an admirable thing, cannot be forced upon people through shaming and guilt. Uttering the correct pronoun or racial term without sincerity is a hollow gesture. Woke’s views aren’t necessarily wrong, but people resent being indoctrinated. Influential players on the political Left have lost touch with average American voters, many of whom sense that the Left’s leaders take a condescending view of working-class people with less education than the elites. There’s a perception that the extreme Left and Woke ideology is determined to provide moral instruction about right and wrong, and how to be good. For decades, the Left represented average working people of America, but is no longer in touch with the pulse of those they once championed.

Ironically, the radical Right and far Left are very much alike in some ways. Their ideologies create confusion among segments of the population. The Right’s policies of discrimination, disenfranchisement, and the eradication of history have caused people of color and non-Christian beliefs to ask themselves, What exactly is my role in this country? Why do our contributions mean nothing? Do I belong here? Why am I not accepted? Why do they hate us? If this is the Land of the Free, why do I live in fear? The extreme Left’s agenda causes confusion and anger in many mainstream Americans, who wonder, Why am I being made to feel guilty for being born white?  Am I to blame for the sins of my white ancestors? Do my contributions mean nothing? How can I express myself without offending someone? Am I a horrible person because I feel uneasy with gender-fluid sexual preferences? What exactly is my role in this country? Thus, each radical extremity of the political spectrum has created a sense of exclusion in many Americans. Both sides cancel individuals, literature, and artistic works that they deem a violation of their respective value systems. Furthermore, the radical Right and extreme Left both wrap themselves in a flag of self-righteousness that some find repulsive and even hypocritical. It is impossible to argue, or reason with, a member of either end of the spectrum. Each side is so sure that it’s right, that it has the moral high ground, that all arguments, all evidence, are rejected as either “fake news” or “politically incorrect” thinking. There is little or no room for the middle ground or compromise in either of these extreme ideologies. Both sides are in desperate need of reform and rebranding before they can become truly relevant again to average Americans. 

It’s time to consider solutions to the culture wars that are dividing this nation.

Don Parkhurst is a retired Storm Lake High School English and history teacher, enjoying life in the slow lane. No, he is not smoking a cigarette in the photo.