Cultural Change?
Just read an article in Newsweek* that ponders whether elections are the answer in some foreign countries. The author wrote about Afghanistan and Iraq where “international officials who oversee the rebuilding countries often try to nudge them towards democracy as soon as possible.” Some political scientists tend to complain. They note that the risk of violence “decreases during an election year, in the following year it more than doubles.” The election “slightly increases” the likelihood of civil war.
I remember in my youth being inspired by teachers who noted the frequency with which Latin American republics lost their elected leaders when their army sponsored a rebellion. In the past twenty years I have noticed similar incidents in Africa and Southeast Asia. The people vote in a democratic election and lose the new leader to a coup d’état.
Paul Collier, a professor at Oxford University, says: “what an election produces is a winner and a loser, and the loser is unreconciled.”
The Newsweek article led me to think about the current political situation in the United States. The people elected a new leader, but the rivals have not accepted the elected leader. Opposition pundits began speaking out about the new leader before he took office and have continued their resistance. Is this “opposition” anything like an African coup d’état?
Consider the details of the negative campaign. They sponsor “tea parties” which remind us of the Boston tea party of the American Revolution. They oppose every proposal he makes without even knowing the details. They spread the word that he is dangerous since he will: take away our guns; take the military directly under his personal command; remove our civil rights; make himself permanent dictator; establish panels that will eliminate seniors; abolish Medicare; revise health care so that it is totally government controlled. And, of course, they deny that the election of the new leader is valid, because he is not a native born American. Each of these rumors are easily disproved with a little research, but they are delivered emotionally with much fear attached. Such arguments do not respond well to logical responses.
If you recognize these tactics it is probably because you heard about most of them in history class when you studied the periods prior to revolutions.
I can understand that the losers of the last election may be upset. But even most of them do not really believe that our current President is as bad as they claim. Most of them recognize that the President’s proposals are well meaning and that he is constantly attempting compromise and consensus. The President is far from perfect, but any semi intelligent politician will admit he is not as bad as many we have endured in the past.
So, is the US culture becoming ripe for a coup d’état? I do hope not, but when I listen to current political opposition, I am concerned that the more fear is inflamed the more likely that an attempt will be made.
Let is pray.