Jeremy C Kester

It seems too daunting to even approach. This modern cynicism that appeared to culminate with the election of Donald Trump continues to grow in this country. This “us vs them” mentality. You are with us or you are against us. What the hell does that even mean?

It doesn’t matter which side of the political spectrum you reside. The accusations come from both sides towards the other. State one point against a particular belief: get marred as a mortal enemy.

Nazi.

Snowflake.

Socialist.

Liberal.

Zealot.

It doesn’t matter. The part of me that believes in equal and individual rights becomes the snowflake. Believe in a limited government: radical. Don’t stand against [insert injustice here]: nazi. Think corporations have overstepped their bounds: liberal.

My point here is that depending on one point of a person’s belief structure and suddenly one finds themselves at a crossroad. “You must pick a side.”

How about being an American?

Impossible. It seems that everyone now has an idea of what being an American is supposed to be. Stray from that and you are the enemy. An interloper trying to dethrone this great country. You can’t get away from it.

Today the House narrowly passed the repeal of Obamacare, the last administration’s attempt at a national healthcare system. People are either cheering or jeering at the accomplishment.

Me, I am doing neither. I am just wondering how much further we are going to go. There were serious problems with Obamacare. And there will be serious problems with this new thing, whatever it is. I am one of those people that want to discuss this. I want to talk to people. I want ideas to be presented and tested. Nothing of the sort is allowed. Because when you question something that someone feels strongly about, you end up getting smacked. Sometimes metaphorically. Sometimes literally.

You have to pick a side.

Everyone is digging in their heels, so sure that they are so right. It’s us vs them. I worry where this is going. Where is this going to take us?

Problem is that we are all wrong. And we are going to suffer for it.