The best argument for Trump’s Presidency is that it has ripped the mask off of how politics works. Everything one needs to know about the psychology of both the President and the system upheld by Republicans and Democrats can be found in his tweets this week.
I highly doubt most police or national guardsmen want to be on the front lines of riot duty. The President views them as a monolithic tool to force compliance. He is saying that there are no limits to what he will ask these men and women to do to another bloc he dislikes. Individualism is at the heart of libertarianism. It is impossible to support the two-party system in its current state.
The police have outsourced their morality to politicians, and they have a financial incentive to stay employed. They will reject their conscience and follow orders in many cases. Conversely, the rioters have lost sight of the humanity of the police. They don’t consider the grief they’re indiscriminately causing for business owners. Social media commentators choosing to ignore racial injustice by invoking tired tropes like “what about Chicago” deny the humanity of their neighbors.
Politics dehumanizes us and forces us into groups that politicians can control. We feel like we have to grab control of the government to prevent those other groups from using the state to oppress us. Voting becomes self-defense.
Without the police or soldiers, politicians are people with wrong opinions and no power. To stop this death spiral of violence, we have to walk away from tribalism. We have to stop demanding that politicians use the state to force other people to live against their will.
Protestors are asking for an end to violence against black men and women. They’re asking for their humanity and dignity to be fully recognized by both the system and society. They’re asking America to fully live up to the promises made in the Declaration of Independence.
I wholly support the protestors and their message. I won’t allow myself to be pitted against natural allies because politicians and media want to exploit our differences.
Christians should always practice the golden rule. If I want my rights, dignity, and humanity to be recognized, then I must stand with anyone else, asking for the same. It is not enough to believe the right things either. I have to be vocal about my values because that is the right path to change. As Billy Graham said, “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
If conservatives are shocked that 80% of the country didn’t support their lockdown protests, it is because they have no credibility due to their silence.
I entirely reject violence as a tool to achieve political or social goals. Nonviolence is the core of my values, and as a result, I reject both ANTIFA, violent protestors, and looters. I reject politicians that seek to continue a violent system and the individuals that choose to carry out this broken vision of societal organization.
