Divided Nation

By Ray Zen

When did our nation divide itself on such a great scale?

I'd argue that we've supressed minority dissent prior to the last, say 30 years, buy beyond the scope of the (unarguable disenfranchisement of huge sections of the population), how is that we have one nation that barks so much at one another.... that there is no course for compromise.

I've rejected temptation to moderate my threads as of late other than to mediate name calling and just plain old calling out of absolute malarkey and bafoonary because, well, #1 it's absolutely exhausting.

And #2 I've watched nonfact be attacked by nonfact and I felt that taking a side would be.. I don't know...almost discrediting...

How is it that we lost sight of the truth?

The Right... for all its crude language and Memes (which I'm sorry guys sometimes just comes off as uber racist [and I'm looking objectively] combined with an over nationalistic sense of country that can't seem to terms with....

The Left... which comes off at times as defending criminal behavior...OMG whiney and is so far opposite of the over nationalists that it comes off as border line seditious...

Now let me be clear in my thoughts here.. I'm really citing EXTREME cases and some dialogue is actually quite intelligent and interesting.. some of it just a loop of the same old false narrative... as if you cut and paste I'll start seeing your point...(which by the way... negates some valid points and ends otherwise intellectual discourse)... which after all... if you're seeing this post...

You are wicked smart.

You're really bright.

I don't have dumb friends...

I think I've lived my life devoted to finding meaning and truth to it... to answer to a higher calling...

To be passionate and well thought out about the function and purpose of my existence.

To question.... regularly.

I've tried very hard to be a good husband and father... I've tried to be a good American.. I often fail as a good Christian but I try so very much to understand God and the mystery of everything...

I've always wanted to be known as a good man.

I wanted people to tell my children when they met them "your father is a good man."

And the way I've approached this goal is by taking emotional knee jerk responses and tucking them away... and I've governed the reactionary by devoting myself to being informed, educated and empathetic to those who do not see the world the way I see it.

To those who do not share my view of our country... I've exposed myself to mockery and being... how did that one guy put it?

"Over educated"

Which I view as a compliment by the way...

You'd be surprised by how many private messages I get...

One recently stands out.. it was concerned...

And I share that concern and it's taken me a few days to really form that emotion into a cognitive  statement...

It is clear to you all that I have friends of all walks...

I can list on and on the full spectrum of the political, religous, social, social class, sexual preferences, gender... I should have listed the ladies...but frankly I'm exhausted..

Exhausted because how can you be friends with me... and not with one another...

trust me we are all friends.. the people I've just listed... I love.

Really... love and would give have they a need.

How can we have gone to school together, served together, shared beers and intimate talk together and, some of you are a HUGE part of my own understanding of myself and yet I watch you...

Argue

Argue

Argue.

So unnecessarily...

In that journey to find good things in this life I've learned this...

There is one version of the truth...

And then there is another....

And in the middle of those paradigms and perspectives... there indeed you will find it.

And this will set you free from fear; from political or religous dogma, from cynicism or disgust...

Oh yes you will vote Johnson.

You will #feelthejohnson

*Shameless plug*

BTW, Kirk Taylor is the only person out of my 1600+ friends who haven't found one disagreement with yet.. there is your gold sticky of approval..

(Thanks for gaffing my nuke card)

*submarine joke*

But I felt compelled to challenge each of you, tagged and untagged in this post, why don't you do a tad more bit listening and a little less typing...

You might learn something...

About yourself.