Intervention is never easy. It generally implies that the subject of the intervention has an addiction that they themselves have not yet fully perceived to be a problem. No one likes to admit being out of control, and it's no picnic for the friend or family member who is putting a relationship on the line in hopes of brighter days that are only realized after what will surely be a long, difficult road to recovery.
I am writing this as a concerned family member—not to a person, but to a party: the Republican Party. I am one of you, and I am here to suggest that the most outspoken and extremist voice is not always the voice of reason (from any party). I'm writing this because I don't want you to continue down the dark, lonely road of negative propaganda. It is addictive, and it's a hard reputation to shake.
Both sides play games when any given electorate doesn't get its way. An outspoken activist from one side will promise to leave the country if so-and-so is elected, and their counterparts from the opposing team will throw around dooms-day scenarios and Antichrist comparisons. Neither of these strategies is appealing or helpful.
I could criticize the actions of both major parties, but my desire for this rant is to call out the negativity of the Republicans because I truly desire more out of you. And for the record, trying to spin the derogatory label, The Party of No" into "The Party of Know" still doesn't make it cool. Be relevant. Become, again, a party of distinction.
I use to enjoy reading about Ronald Reagan—especially his childhood and his early life in radio and then actor. It was like taking a trip back in time, and I think that, later, part of his political charm came from the fact that he was from a different era, and that he showed an idealism of what it meant to be American. His core message was that America's brightest days were still ahead, and whether you agreed with anything he ever did politically or not, you have to admit that he was selling hope to a generation of voters that longed for the by-gone Norman Rockwell version of America.
The Republican Party has quit selling hope. These days, too many of its members preach a message of doom-and-gloom. Why do so many conservative pundits now give the impression that we should all horde gold and stockpile guns while we can? This kind of message leads to fear and conspiracy theories and even downright paranoia—all of which are popular calling cards for many so-called "patriot" groups.
The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) indicates that more than 14 million guns were sold in the United States in 2009. That is a more than 10 percent increase over 2008 sales. I'm not anti-gun: I own some myself, and I go hunting on occasion. But what does it mean when people in the USA buy more guns in one single year than the number of active troops of the combined armies of the top 20 countries in the world?
Obviously, no political party owns God, nor does any political party have the inside information as to the will of God. But with that said, the Republican Party has in the past taken pride in being called the "religious right." Why, then, do we not genuinely ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?" Again, I'm not claiming to have the inside scoop, but I'm thinking it probably wouldn't be to stock up on guns and gold.
My message of intervention is simply that I wish there were more voices of reason. I know they are there, but more-vocal extremists overpower them.
Don't live in fear, and don't use fear for political advantage. Elected officials have a job to do, and we the voters expect you to work together and find common ground with those that you don't agree with.
Invest in gold if you want, but invest more heavily in people.
New JFP columnist Scott Dennis is Morton, Miss., native who lives in Pearl. Dennis earned a computer science degree from Mississippi College, and works as an IT Specialist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He says he is blessed with a wonderful wife and a small but growing family.
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