Talking Politics.

"Jerry started talking politics, and I just had to leave." As I was finishing my dinner at a local watering hole this evening, these are the words I heard uttered by the barkeep as she made her way out from the kitchen. It seemed that our cook was serving up a little too much food for thought for some of the staff. I could not help but see the avoidance of this form of social interaction as commonplace in our modern culture. Not cornering the barmaid into a political debate of my own choosing made me guilty, in some degree, of the same cultural sin. I'll just say that courtesy got the better of me. After pondering this commonly held custom of "not talking politics", I had no choice but to personally review the history of such a prohibitive tradition in our free society.

As much as my mind wanted to pin this situation to be a product of modern life, a brief glance back in history proved that this to be a likely common phenomenon. Through American history, tough, even revolutionary times were a backdrop for social stress once the common and jovial conversation turned to that of societal consequence.

Beginning in Revolutionary times, strong political debate raged between those loyal to the British Empire, and those thirsting for Liberty only possible by way of breaking free of the bonds of an unelected, and unaccountable tyrant. Siding with either the Loyalist, or the opposing Patriot camp proved to be the cause of uncomfortable, if not dangerous tension in many a household. The same could be said for opposing sympathizers during the Civil War. These tensions brought great divisions, and pitted blood against blood under shared shelter and on ground assumed to be neutral. In cases such as these, it can be a good assumption that political debates were, at times, avoided at all costs.

In my opinion, there are modern issues and variables that bring our current situation of tight-lipped political discourse into a clearer picture. There is a high level of public apathy in the general American public due to the constant ringing statement: “There is no place I’d rather live, this is the greatest nation in the world.” Very little beyond this, or similar statements is needed in casual conversation to justify or brush off, blatant infringements of Liberty imposed by our electorate. Accountability, it seems, is only used as a tool of negative consequence in tearing down a leader of the opposing party. Accountability to maintaining Liberty should be a virtue held by every American, and especially to those who he considers himself to be loyal.

In this current political climate, folks are beginning to realize that we who have trusted a particular party or political leader have been part of an ongoing problem. It is very easy to choose one side or another and defend everything which your identifiable team deems to be correct. It is much harder to closely examine one who you have so closely identified with and find fault. From a standpoint of debasing Liberty, we have many leaders from across the political spectrum to scrutinize. Those from the Left who criticized the overreaching power of the PATRIOT Act have little to complain about now that a Democrat President has extended its authority until March 2011. The Act’s curtailing of individual liberty can now be questioned by both sides of the isle; however silence on the issue is our reality. President Obama’s alleged violation of Article II section 1.5 is still up for debate. However, clear violation of Article I Section 9.8 is well documented, but goes unnoticed by the American public. These two points are in addition to the rampant escalation of political plunder which our current Congress continues to put as priority under the titles such as “Affordable Health Care”, “Financial Reform”, “American Clean Air and Security”. An agenda which passes law to serve a select group through the labor of others has no basis in Liberty or Constitutionality. Individual liberty and adherence to Constitutional governance and fundamentals must become a priority in the American household, regardless of political affiliation.

Embarrassment is not a word that should be used lightly. However, this is the sentiment that I cannot help but feel in the general population today in regard to our elected representation and the pragmatic destruction of our baseline rule of Law. This feeling of betrayal manifests itself in this way when no words can describe the out and out perversion of Constitutional Law and the fundamentals of freedom.

Liberty is the talking point in which the common man must find unity in once again. It is in the acknowledgement of God-breathed life, the proclamation of Liberty, and the power of the individual that the American soul finds truth, and is what unites us to do good.

Brock T. Southwick