OPINION: Hope & Freedom vs. Anger & Power
Becky Funk
Ronald Reagan described America as a “shining city on a hill” and his farewell address exclaimed our best days are ahead. Ignoring the “America is in decline” crowd he chose to believe in our regenerative capacity and ability to change course. He looked at the world through a moral lens and led boldly, setting the stage for the fall of the Berlin Wall and Soviet Union, giving hope and ultimately the opportunity for freedom to those who lived under the oppressive regimes. And he accomplished all of this with a Democrat controlled House of Representatives.
Here we are 36 years post Reagan and at a crossroads. “The fight of our lives is not between Republicans and Democrats,” explained Senator Ben Sasse as he was leaving the U.S. Senate, “but between ‘civil pluralists’ and ‘political zealots.’” He goes on to write in the Wall Street Journal, “Civil pluralists understand that ideas move the world more than power does, which is why pluralists value debate and persuasion. We believe America is great because it is good, and America is good because the country is committed to human dignity, even for those with whom we disagree.”
Political zealots for the most part reject pluralism, and instead believe our society starts and ends with power obtained by any means. They lack trust in our citizenry believing only they have the answers to our government and societal problems, preferring authoritarianism to the free exchange of ideas. They’ll use fear and intimidation to manipulate their followers. These zealots demand obedience and don’t want you thinking outside of their box.
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