The Essence of America

There's still a lot of commentary and reporting on the Tea Parties, from both sides, and it has me thinking.

Freedom is about being free to do what you will, including being responsible or irresponsible, because you want to (Consequences are another matter, of course, and a bit outside the argument for now). It bothers me that so many of the current administration and their supporters are simply trying to force America into a new virtue, and force you to follow it. I want to do what I think it the right thing, because I think it's the right thing...not because someone tells me it's the right thing. That's the crux of our situation, which I would now call a 'death spiral'. Are we ever going to get out of this cycle? Forget the economy; the simple fact that our differences prevent us from working together to fix the economy, because it is impossible for us to agree on how to fix it, proves my point.

I'm starting to feel that an amicable divorce, between the "liberal" and "conservative" factions of the country, is the only possible solution. When conservatives are in power, liberals fear they'll simply be told what to do and be expected to blindly accept and follow. When liberals are in power, conservatives fear they'll simply be told what to do and be expected to blindly accept and follow. Neither side is willing to let the other side do anything their way. We're not happy together...why in the hell can't we just go our separate ways?!?!? In a nation where we can't even agree on what marriage is, and where we thus easily accept a 50% divorce rate, why can't we figure out that the time has come for us? Don't you think each side would be happy to sign the paperwork and get it over with? Even the Anglican Church, old dinosaur that it is compared to the American "Union", has recognized the uselessness of further dialogue. And there's precedent for what I'm saying...we carved up Yugoslavia pretty good for those people when it became obvious that they couldn't live together in a "diverse, multicultural" nation. Still need proof? Let me say one more thing: the Middle East. Those people have been arguing over the same land for 5,000 years! Are you ready for a never-ending fight a little closer to home? Seriously, when was the last time you heard a liberal say something nice about a conservative? Or vice versa? Q.E.D.

I hear talk about how foolish secession is...how like we conservatives to stubbornly cling to the Old Ways. "The next elections are in 2010!" or so goes the refrain. And what happens if conservatives win? Do you think the liberals are going to go along? How happy were they under 8 years of George W. Bush? Ready for more of that? Do you even care? And what if we don't win, and we're still in the minority of power in DC? "The next elections are in 2012", anyone?

All I see in our country these days is division. All we hear in our country is division. We have too much anger, too much stress, too much fighting. A house divided? Wake up...it's already divided. We don't even need secession; let's just agree to part ways and let the people vote what they want in the area they're in. We don't love or respect each other any more. We can't live together. Let's start being realistic about it, recognize that it's over, divide up the assets, work out custody, waive alimony, and sign on the dotted line.