Campaign Hate Speech Will Leave Our Nation Even More Divided

In just a matter of weeks, we have watched the real Republican Party emerge - a cynical, say anything, divisive group of politicians who prey on ignorance, fear, bigotry and the misinformed. They chum the waters with labels, such as "liberal," "socialist," "terrorist," "anti-American," and they drape themselves in righteousness. They deny any wrongdoing, even when lying and promoting baseless attacks on anyone who doesn't agree with them. They call angry, ignorant or ideologically fixated people their "base," but they do their base no service by lying to them, inflaming them to hate their fellow Americans and taking us down low roads we have traveled far too often in this great nation of ours.

One clear message emerges, however, from this disturbing glimpse into the Republican strategy and their willing participants among the electorate. We have work to do!

Abraham Lincoln's famous quote, "A house divided against itself cannot stand," is increasingly relevant today, as no matter who wins the upcoming presidential election, we will have a house divided and intransigent. And we will have one major political party who is invested in keeping it that way.

I always think back with utter disdain to George Bush's statement "I'm a uniter, not a divider," which he mendaciously uttered during his first presidential campaign. Some people actually believed him, and it helped him get elected. History, if you're paying attention, doesn't lie, and Bush's promise was as empty as that of John McCain when he claims that he'll reach across the aisle. Maybe the McCain of yesteryear, but not version 2008. If he wins, expect partisan politics to dominate, unless political expediency requires him to begrudgingly give an inch to a Democratic Congress to gain whatever war he wants to conduct next.

The problem isn't necessarily if McCain wins, however. It is, in some ways, even worse if Obama wins. With an Obama win, the flames of anger, bigotry, outrage, fear and loathing will grow and almost certainly result in violence. McCain and Palin have fanned those flames, bringing them to the surface, and adding fuel to them. They continue to do so as I write this.

What can we do, under an Obama administration, to bring this country together?

I think the answer is already evident in Obama's campaign strategy. It's on the ground. It's in all 50 states. It's people talking to people.

Barack Obama talks about service. He talks about the hope of the future being us, not him. And he's right. He clearly cannot take this nation forward alone, but he can lead. He can start the ball rolling and continue to encourage us to do our part.

What I am envisioning is another Apollo Project, but it's not getting to the Moon, this time. It's bringing this country together.

What I'm suggesting is the most massive re-education and personal outreach in history.

What I'm suggesting is that Obama's campaign ground game remain intact and begin a new mission - to communicate and to bring people together, to begin a national dialog that heals wounds, promotes truth, and unifies us as one nation again.

There's no doubt that such an undertaking would meet with considerable resistance. It's very difficult to cross the ideological divides that separate people on the more extreme fringes, but I believe that most of the people in this country are not as extreme as the Republicans want them to be, and encourage them to be. I believe that, once they understand that we are all in this together, that some of the policies they have blindly supported actually hurt them, that they have been handed a load of bull from politicians and operatives who do not have their best interests at heart, that, in fact, the very people they have been taught to hate and vilify actually do work for them... I believe it can be done, slowly, patiently and with a consistent message and methodology.

I'm reasonably certain that many people will think I'm wasting my time, or find this idea impractical or even totally crackpot, but I hope there are those who understand that our best hope for the future is a country that heals the wounds that have been intentionally inflicted on our society.

Further, if we can apply this strategy to the United States, we can also apply it around the world. Much of what threatens us worldwide is ideologically based. Certainly, there are huge economic and even environmental factors that threaten world peace, but there is also an acknowledged ideological war that we have sought to fight with bombs and bullets, but not nearly enough with communication - both speaking and listening! How well have we listened to our enemies and understood what motivates them? Is it enough simply to say, "They are the enemy, so we will fight them?" I, for one, think that there are times when even enemies can come together and discover common interests, and even if they can't, the old adage, "Know thy enemy" is one that apparently the Bush Administration and John McCain don't subscribe to. Obama, on the other hand, does.

Speaking as a mediator, I know there are ways to reach people with distinctly opposite viewpoints. I know that there are ways to find common ground and build upon agreement. I know that honesty and sincerity can often counter lies and malicious intent.

To make a difference, however, this cannot be a half-hearted, liberal, bleeding-heart, underfunded and under deployed fringe group. This has to be a national dialog, led from the top down, and implemented from the bottom up.

So, call it what you will. The Great Awakening. The Great Healing. American Together! Or, as I like to call it (for my own satisfaction, at any rate), Evolve or Die!

But let's do it. Let's be the change we want to see and let's encourage Obama to support our national human infrastructure in addition to our roads and bridges.

***UPDATE***
I have started a Facebook group. I'm calling it the New National Dialog Project. Please join if you are interested in getting this dialog moving.

Comments

[MsMike]

Rusel, I really like your ideas. And I will sign on to your Facebook group.
I do think that there is one flaw in how you expressed your ideas, and that shows when you state "I believe that most of the people in this country are not as extreme as the Republicans want them to be…"
I (MsMike) believe it would be more accurate to say that "most of the people in this country are not as extreme as some of the Republicans want them to be." Not all Republicans want to be extreme and not all Republicans use lies and hate speech. We have already heard many Republicans speak out against the inflamatory speech and even endorse Barack Obama, as Colin Powell did. I believe that the good people that remain in the Republican Party will try to clean it up and regroup after this election is over, and I believe that it is very important for our nation that they are successful. I believe that we need two or three good strong political parties to have a strong democracy. And I believe that we should not tar all of the Republicans with the same brush; that is not helpful when starting a dialog about inclusiveness and healing wounds. And no, I am not a Republican. But many good people are.

[Rusel deMaria - Huffpost Blogger]

You're absolutely correct, MsMike. The Republicans I refer to, often in too general terms, are the power mongers and influence peddlers who have tried all-too successfully to create a divided nation. Clearly not all Republicans are like that, and I am sorry that what I wrote came off that way. In fact, I think the majority of people are decent folks, and it's just that there are some people for whom power and wealth are gods, and they seem willing to do anything to achieve and maintain their power and wealth.

So I stand corrected, and hope we can reach out to those who are like us - not consumed by greed or ambition, but anxious to live well, to support our neighbors and to live a good life where we can live in a decent home, eat regularly, provide a good education for our kids and retire in dignity and good health.

I don't know about you, but I really can't imagine hauling in a salary in the tens or hundreds of millions. Even if I cured cancer and solved the Middle East, I wouldn't desire such absurd compensation. And very few of us really do want that kind of excess. We just want what Obama keeps describing, and that's where most of us, at least, can find common ground.

[consideration]

I agree with you whole-heartedly. However, I think we will do better if we approach this by tackling a problem together - and the problem that comes to mind (and is Obama's first priority) is energy. I have already written to the Obama campaign (under my real name Victoria Grossack) to suggest that we use this wonderful network to tackle energy problems together. Neighborhoods could have energy parties, where they review methods for conservation.

The good thing about saving energy is it will appeal to many types: those who want to make us independent of foreign oil; those who want to save money; those who want to save the planet.

[Rusel deMaria - Huffpost Blogger]

Yours is a good thought, but can we only do one thing at a time? Perhaps the two are not mutually exclusive.

[Rusel deMaria - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks. Feel free to spread it around. Right now it's only an idea, but like any idea, it can ultimately become a reality if we share it and reinforce it.

I know that Obama has his Energy Policy Apollo Program already in mind, but I hope he'll consider this effort, too. He's more likely to if people say it loud and often.

[marytny]

Joined your Facebook group. This is a huge undertaking, but we have to start somewhere.
Having a strong leader will help, but we must also be examples.
"Obamalikes" HA

All the Best

[booksnmore4you]

We need hate speech laws like Canada and Europe have that would make the likes of Hannity and Limbaugh in their present form ILLEGAL.

[marytny]

No to censorship­.....it works boths ways......

Kind of like Prop 8 here in CA. (Gay Marriage).
Who's marriage do you want to outlaw next?

[Matt7]

I've been conflicted about this. On one hand, I think that the words of the likes of Hannity and Limbaugh are beyond provocative and slanderous; they're hateful and d*ngerous, and are in my mind a form of domestic terr*rsm, because of the damage it does to the cohesiveness of the fabric of this country. I'd love to be able to make them stop, but more importantly, I want them to be accountable for the consequences of their words. Because with this age of "say anything you want on the internet, without reference or consequences" under the guise of "freedom of speech," sends absolutely the wrong message. Especially to our youth, who don't have another frame of reference.

On the other hand, I remember after 9-11 when, if you said anything other than, "Yes, Mr. President, whatever you say and do is absolutely right, regardless of what rights or freedoms it overruns," you were looked upon as some kind of tra*tor or terr*rist yourself. (Remember when "Politically Incorrect" was kicked off the air, after criticism of the Bush administration, because it was considered unAmerican to question the president at a time like this? And objections were met with the infamous phrase "desperate times call for desperate measures"?)

Even laws have to be obeyed by individuals, so I think it's going to have to start there -- with personal responsibility and accountability from each of us.

[LouisvilleLiberal]

And the poor Dixie Chicks when they spoke out against the Bush?

To me, that period of time was frightening - as frightening as seeing college students protesting the Vietnam War being shot by our National Guard as a child. I was young enough to be convinced that it wasn't safe to let your political opinions be known if they differed with the established power base, which has been Republican most of my life.

In fact, to this day, I can't bring myself to wear my Obama button or put my Obama/Biden bumpersticker on my car. I live in a very red state and I am afraid because I am not sure that my neighbors and co-workers feel the same as I do and that can be dangerous when emotions run high.

I think I am not alone either. I have never seen such a lack of political promotion in my neighborhood. There are no signs, no bumper stickers, no pamplets, no mailers...­..just a deep silence. I assume either a lot of people are staying home or voting for Obama but not discussing it. The length of the lines at the polls will be telling.

However, the few people that I have talked to in both Indiana and Kentucky predict an Obama win in both red states. That would mean a landslide !!! I am holding my breath.

[H8Fauxpublicans]

well said, there is plenty of work to be done and you by writing this is a start. Bravo!

GO AMERICA!

[StarwindE]

Great analysis and proposed solution. I'm all for being the change... I hope this is distributed widely.