The American way has been poisoned

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Proof: Politics & Friends Don’t Mix If Politics Trumps Friendship
A blog by Gary LaPierre, March 30, 2013

Our world…..our society…our well-being….and in particular our politics have become so divisive, even long-term friendships can’t survive anymore.   Particularly when one side of the politic is ready to dismiss the other side altogether, as woefully uninformed and just plain wrong in their thinking.

I”d like to tell you about two married couples who have known each other for close to  fifty years. In fact the two women have known each other for more than sixty years and have never had a cross word.  They cared for each other since childhood.  Both survived some harrowing, traumatic and frightful times as children, often times pulling their families apart, but never each other.   One always stood up for the other and no matter what the obstacle in one woman’s life, the other was there for her and while time and distance separated the two at various times over a half century, the friendship survived and in their older years, actually thrived.  The husbands of these two women always got along, never a difficult moment.  They could discuss anything and everything…and often did.  They shared time, swapped stories and traveled many parts of this country and Europe with their wives and one might have asked……”what possibly could bust up a half-century relationship among four people, two of whom shared life experiences dating  back to early childhood?”    I have the answer:

Politics.  Just plain old politics, 21st century style.   

The divisiveness that has poisoned the American way, including the total dismissal of anyone, anything with an opposing view is in some ways heart-wrenching to watch.   It’s there, and to think these two couples can no longer speak, or communicate in any fashion with each other is a sad commentary on what our world has become.   One member of the foursome became so obsessed with her beliefs (yes, her) that she’s now convinced she’s the smartest person in the room (any room), the other three members of the foursome are not worthy of being heard.   Nope….not even “heard” because their politics is unworthy….and surely their intellect is no match for the smartest person in the room.  As well he should I suppose, the husband of this closed-minded woman appears to have caved to the divisive side of things….a survival mode I’m sure.

Five decades and more of friendship and history, gone to the ugly divide this country has become when it comes to the human discourse of political events.  Yup, when politics trumps friendship, count me as “un-enrolled.”
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