ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW IS ESSENTIAL UNLESS IT'S WRONG

I find, as I surf around, a number of articles written by individuals with perspectives broadly similar to, and at the same time, different from my own. In like manner, there are video commentators on you tube and various presenters on digital radio stations, such as KPFK in Los Angeles, who also express observations, views, and sometimes insights, with which I can concur. This is as it should be. One cannot be in a complete agreement all the time. It would not be human.

 

Friendships are essentially based around shared experiences of life. People with whom we share some of the more intimate details of our lives, our loves and aspirations. Political views between friends tend to be similar, but do not have to be concurrent. If individuals care about each other as friends their political points of view can, and sometimes do, differ a great deal. What holds it together are the approaches to living. Generally a shared view on manners, culture, civility and respect. One may not be as close to some friends as others, but on the whole there are exchanges of ideas and in some instances one is asked to be best man, maid of honour, godparent, sponsor or employer. Evenings spent together exchanging stories over food or going on holidays and participating together in events and observations are very much part of friendships between people.  These associations mostly begin in infancy, on the playground or at some educational establishment. Friends’ lives intertwine, coming together, growing apart and coming together again over time. They can be formed at work, in a pub or at some other friend’s house. Birthdays, graduations, engagements, weddings, illnesses and funerals are as staging posts of our shared journeys through life. One’s general outlook on life will usually be reflected by one’s associations. None of this prevents friends having politically opposing views, unless of course they are extreme. I do not think I could, knowingly, be friends with a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

 

In a democratic government, political parties are made up of individuals who broadly agree on policy. They compromise and come together on matters which become the substance of their programme for government. Members of a political party, although they may subscribe to a party line, are not necessarily friends. Indeed members of the same party can dislike one another intensely and there can be genuine difficult disagreements between members of the same party. In the United Kingdom, those conservatives or labour supporters who voted for Brexit and those who wished for Britain to remain in the common market, are an instance in point; but, so long as the central and essential party line is adhered to, the party can hold together. Where these disagreements within a party fester, they can be terminal, and. in any event, weaken the party’s overall influence, and it becomes unpalatable to the electorate.

 

On the other hand, it is not unusual for representatives of one party to be friends with representatives of the opposing party. There are a number of politicians who get along very well with members of an opposing party. Such sentiments are frequently expressed by some members in the UK Parliament, as well as members in the United State Congress. I am sure the same would apply in the Assemblée Nationale and Sénat in Paris as well as the Bundestag in Berlin. It is as it should be and is a very healthy condition for democratic government.

 

However, so far as general governance is concerned, I believe there must be a standard which is applicable across the democratic political spectrum. That is, respect for the decisions of the electorate, acceptance of the democratic system by which representatives are chosen to govern, and the reputability, honesty and sense of public service of the elected representatives must be of the highest unimpeachable integrity. Such codes of conduct as are maintained by governmental institutions, must be adhered to. Any variance on that is unacceptable. Which brings us back to what seems to be happening in the United Kingdom with regard to the matter of a Prime Minister misleading Parliament with prevarications, and the uncompromising shameless hypocrisy and perfidy of certain members of the United States Congress. I believe even those parliamentarians who would forgive a Boris Johnson, would raise their hands in horror at the likes of Ted Cruise, Lindsey Graham, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kevin McCarthy and other congressional representatives who are blind supporters of Donal Trump.

 

Forgive me if I seem to harp on about the particular individuals mentioned above, but they are of major concern to the well-being and survival of the United States and consequently to the rest of the world. It is an unfortunate situation that we are in, when one country is seen as the main bulwark against dictatorship and tyranny, particularly when that country is on the verge of collapse and descent into the very right wing agenda it previously abhorred but currently seems to be striving for. The United States is a very flawed nation with some magnificent foundations in the form of its declaration of independence, and most of its constitutional aspirations. Despite its shortcomings it has seen fit to elect some quite remarkable individuals as leaders of its government. It is not alone in that endeavour. Many democracies have had exceptional men elected to govern. What is particular to the United States since the latter half of the 18^th Century is its rise to such great power and influence round the globe, despite its very mixed quality of leadership; however, it is in decline.

 

I recently came across an article written by Journalist Nick Bryant publish by BBC, News, New York, on 3^rd November 2017, entitled The Time when America stopped being great which can be read at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41826022.

 

This is one of those articles I spoke of in the first paragraph of this blog. It does not make for pleasant reading. Nonetheless it is a considered piece of writing by a foreign observer who, from an early age, became fascinated by the United States through its myth making of Hollywood westerns, TV shows and Marvel Comics. An extraordinary propaganda industry that not only spread the dream, but made a fortune on the back of it. It continues to this day.

 

What is sad is that the indigenous population have lost sight of the myth, and the man on the white horse has been replaced by the man in the blood red cap. Rather than exclaim “Get thee behind me Satan” they willingly and blindly shout out in support “Lock ‘em up” and “Hang ‘em up”. America has indeed stopped being great.