Why Seeing the “Other Party” as the Enemy Is Dangerous for Us All

[Vambram]

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A federal disaster relief official reportedly ordered workers to bypass the homes of Donald Trump’s supporters as they surveyed damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida. As a result, when FEMA workers identified residents who could qualify for federal aid, at least twenty homes with Trump yard signs or flags were not given the opportunity to qualify for assistance. The official was later fired.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden will meet in the White House today, but the rancor between their parties will endure long past last week’s election.

And like Trump supporters passed over for help in Florida, there will be victims all around.

The Enemy Is the Other Party​

American elections are typically won by candidates who convince voters that (1) they are facing an enemy they cannot defeat and (2) the candidate will defeat their enemy if they vote for him or her. At various times, this “enemy” has been a foreign belligerent, such as Germany, Japan, or the Soviet Union, or a domestic challenge, such as economic downturns.

Today, the “enemy” is the other party.

One side sees itself as the defender of preborn babies and traditional morality. The other side sees itself as the defender of women’s reproductive freedom, civil rights, and equality for all. These are crucial causes that far transcend electoral politics.

Many on each side are convinced that for them to win, the other side must lose. Not only because the other side’s causes are wrong, but because those who hold them are dangerous to America.

This is a different form of prejudice than I have seen in my lifetime. Discrimination against Jews and other racial minorities is a tragic fact of life across the world, an issue I discuss at some depth in my new website article, “A visit that marked me for the rest of my life: Four roots of antisemitism and three urgent calls to action.” As I note, people typically discriminate against those they envy, consider to be succeeding unfairly, or see as inferior to themselves.

But to disparage and even despise another American because of their political affiliation and the assumption that they are, therefore, hazardous to our nation—that is something else.

And an ominous threat to the future of our democracy.

 

[stevevw]

Topics - Crosswalk Headlines

Read articles from Topics with breaking Christian news commentary and trending issues important to your faith.

www.crosswalk.com

A federal disaster relief official reportedly ordered workers to bypass the homes of Donald Trump’s supporters as they surveyed damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida. As a result, when FEMA workers identified residents who could qualify for federal aid, at least twenty homes with Trump yard signs or flags were not given the opportunity to qualify for assistance. The official was later fired.

Donald Trump and Joe Biden will meet in the White House today, but the rancor between their parties will endure long past last week’s election.

And like Trump supporters passed over for help in Florida, there will be victims all around.

The Enemy Is the Other Party​

American elections are typically won by candidates who convince voters that (1) they are facing an enemy they cannot defeat and (2) the candidate will defeat their enemy if they vote for him or her. At various times, this “enemy” has been a foreign belligerent, such as Germany, Japan, or the Soviet Union, or a domestic challenge, such as economic downturns.

Today, the “enemy” is the other party.

One side sees itself as the defender of preborn babies and traditional morality. The other side sees itself as the defender of women’s reproductive freedom, civil rights, and equality for all. These are crucial causes that far transcend electoral politics.

Many on each side are convinced that for them to win, the other side must lose. Not only because the other side’s causes are wrong, but because those who hold them are dangerous to America.

This is a different form of prejudice than I have seen in my lifetime. Discrimination against Jews and other racial minorities is a tragic fact of life across the world, an issue I discuss at some depth in my new website article, “A visit that marked me for the rest of my life: Four roots of antisemitism and three urgent calls to action.” As I note, people typically discriminate against those they envy, consider to be succeeding unfairly, or see as inferior to themselves.

But to disparage and even despise another American because of their political affiliation and the assumption that they are, therefore, hazardous to our nation—that is something else.

And an ominous threat to the future of our democracy.

This all stems from Identity Politics which stems from academia Critical theories that became the ideology of Institutions and then into society. It has been cultivated and been brewing for decades. What we see today is the manifestation of this.

A crucial point in the evolution of the ideology stems from Feminist and Black critical theory is that 'the political is the personal'. This was the bases for activism and brought the personal in which was about race, gender and sex. Since then it has just become all consuming of culture.

As a result this brings just about everything in, political, religious, philosophical, moral. Every aspect because its personal. But fundementally its about identity because identity captures the personal aspects of the person and group.

Another example of this is how private corporations and organisations have become Woke. They have gradually moved from just a business arrangement to also being social warriors even down to political and religious beliefs.

Its also found in a key principle of the ideology which is 'Intersectionality'. People are divided into identity groups such as race, sex, gender and class but taking this idea to its conclusion we can come up with 101 ways to divide people. Such as looks, intelligence, emotional intelligence, physical strength, socioeconomic status ect ect and find ever increasing divides just like the LGBTIQ+ community adds new identities.

But not just that it then gives varying worths to each group based on some arbitrary measure of oppression and oppressor power relations. THat is a sure fire way to pit people against each other.

This is very divisive. It tribalises people into thinking about people as "the other". Its more or less indoctrinating people how to hate others and be tribal and to accentuate differences between them by fixating on the differences.

I think we have seen the culmination of this ideology with the creation of a brand new identity group of unworthys which is Trump supporters. The whites, males, Christians, traditionalist and conservations.

But now strangely even minorities the Left once said were worthy identities are suddenly becoming part of the new unworthy identity. The ideology is constantly creating and recreating new identities which are then morphed into good and bad identities according to the Woke.

So now we have a giant new identity group which consists of over half the US. They may be of mixed identities and backgrounds but are lumped together into one big new identity known as Trump supporters.

They all lose their individual identities and the various reasons why they voted Trump. Now they are tarred with the new identity. They are now only known as Trump supporters which have already been determined as the bad identity for many years.

While the pure identities, the elite and Woke celebs hold the truth and are the worthy identities that should be taken seriously. Well not anymore.

 

[Helmut-WK]

A federal disaster relief official reportedly ordered workers to bypass the homes of Donald Trump’s supporters as they surveyed damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida. As a result, when FEMA workers identified residents who could qualify for federal aid, at least twenty homes with Trump yard signs or flags were not given the opportunity to qualify for assistance.

In my perception, it was Trump that fueled this feeling of the other party being the enemy.
But to »pay back« is not good, even in a secular frame of view. And certainly sin in a Christian frame of ethics. Anyone who does not see this should read the NT.

 

[OldAbramBrown]

Why are Americans required to state that they are part of a party? Over here few people are and are mostly allowed to keep that private.

 

[iarwain]

This all stems from Identity Politics which stems from academia Critical theories that became the ideology of Institutions and then into society. It has been cultivated and been brewing for decades. What we see today is the manifestation of this.

I agree with what you are saying. Ironically though, this is almost the same as saying the "other party is the enemy". Because identity politics is a very left wing idea, and is espoused by the Democrats. This is Marxism, basically. The Democrats are comprised of special interest groups, who are encouraged to hold onto their identity, because otherwise they wouldn't be part of the special interest group. It would be better if we identified as Americans rather than as part of the special interest group, if we are going to have any sort of unity. Of course, being Christian, I identify as a Christian first and foremost.

I do think a healthier attitude would be "what can I learn from my neighbor (or the other party)?" than "the party is the enemy". I know Democratic characterizations of conservatives as Nazis or fascists is simply false, so they need not fear that. From a conservative point, we are concerned that the other side is dragging us closer to Communism, the loss of free speech, and Socialism. The two sides have very different views, and it's a mess that isn't easily reconciled. In fact, it probably can't be reconciled. Only through God could such things be possible, but there is a large atheist faction now (mostly in the Democratic party IMO) that stands in the way of that. Although they are not the only thing standing in the way.

 

[stevevw]

I agree with what you are saying. Ironically though, this is almost the same as saying the "other party is the enemy". Because identity politics is a very left wing idea, and is espoused by the Democrats. This is Marxism, basically. The Democrats are comprised of special interest groups, who are encouraged to hold onto their identity, because otherwise they wouldn't be part of the special interest group. It would be better if we identified as Americans rather than as part of the special interest group, if we are going to have any sort of unity. Of course, being Christian, I identify as a Christian first and foremost.

You make a good observation here. What you are talking about is 'Intersectionality' an idea that comes out of the critical theories. In this case Critical Race and Black theories and also Queer theory as the ideology becomes all consuming under cultural Marxism.

But the idea is that we split society or rather humans into an ever expanding list of identity categories based on oppression. I like what Jordan Peterson says on this. You can divide people up into all sorts of identity groups apart from the common ones such as race, sex, gender and class.

We could find many such as looks, we attribute value to people on looks. Intelligence, strength, socio economic status. What about a 3rd generation caucasion child 2nd or 3rd generation welfare recipient. Or the many ADHD, Autistic and other modern disorders where we can divide people up into the advantages and disadvantages. Add to this the never ending list of contexts this may happen in andall the intersecting points at which people occupy 2 or 3 or more positions.

As Peterson says its never ending to the point that we divide people up so much that this takes us back to the individual. Something we already worked out at least 100s of years ago with national Declarations and Bills of Rights and later human Rights being inalienable and natural rights regardless of identity.

Christianity was a big part of that long held truth. As the Declarations also say, 'We are made in Gods image and endowed with these natural inalienable rights as soverign individuals'. Being made in Gods image puts us above human ideologies. Founding fathers and other leaders knew this, that fallible humans needed some greater truth beyond them as the foundation.

I do think a healthier attitude would be "what can I learn from my neighbor (or the other party)?" than "the party is the enemy". I know Democratic characterizations of conservatives as Nazis or fascists is simply false, so they need not fear that. From a conservative point, we are concerned that the other side is dragging us closer to Communism, the loss of free speech, and Socialism. The two sides have very different views, and it's a mess that isn't easily reconciled. In fact, it probably can't be reconciled. Only through God could such things be possible, but there is a large atheist faction now (mostly in the Democratic party IMO) that stands in the way of that. Although they are not the only thing standing in the way.

Yes your right. I think we have seen a back and forth swing between far right and far left ideologies in the last 60 years or so. Nows the time for swing back to the middle. There were times actually around the 70's and 80s where the parties were more in the middle and there was more consensus. But from about the later 90's and especially the last 15 years or so its become more polarised.

Peterson also mentions the Irish conflicts which is really an extreme version of identity politics in the religious form. But he uses Christs teaching of turning the other cheek as the resolution for conflicts and that tit for tat mentality. Sooner or later one side, you would hope both. But one side has to stop and not react the same way back. Hopefully the other side sees the compromise. Its a powerful truth.

But I am not sure if we are at that stage. I think the right have an oppostunity to unite in the US and the makeup of the part seems fairly diverse and unified in the aspirations for a better future.

But its also up to the Left. The Left have to recognise their ideological radicalism and get back to basics. What the party stood for which really is not too dissimilar to the right as I mentioned fundementally.

One thing I do know is that not just the US but the world is at a pivotable point where it can either go well or really go badly. Things need to settle down. The Left need to stop the narratives they are pushing. They should have learnt from the election. Any fair minded person would think 'hey the majorit of people can't all be that bad maybe its also me that is getting things wrong. Or not seeing things clearly.

I think hopefully it will die down. But that doesn't mean the Left should not call out the right if there's a genuine issue. They should get back to basic where they advocate for the special interestt groups at the grass roots levels including the churches. Work together to help the needy as at the end of the day no matter which party gets in they never look after the needy enough.

 

[Helmut-WK]

Why are Americans required to state that they are part of a party? Over here few people are and are mostly allowed to keep that private.

That is a consequence of the inner-party democracy: You must be enlisted as a party supporter to vote in the »primaries«.

 

[iarwain]

I think hopefully it will die down. But that doesn't mean the Left should not call out the right if there's a genuine issue. They should get back to basic where they advocate for the special interestt groups at the grass roots levels including the churches. Work together to help the needy as at the end of the day no matter which party gets in they never look after the needy enough.

The silver lining for the Democrats is now the Republicans will be running all levels of government for the next two years at least, and they will be able to stand back and criticize. The Republicans will have to get it right or they'll be removed. That's the beauty of the two party system.

 

[Helmut-WK]

The Republicans will have to get it right or they'll be removed.

Under the assumption that the next elections will be fair.
There have been unfair means (Gerrymandering, less poll stations in areas with high democratic voter percentage, obstacles to registration …), with Trump as president they may perhaps increase, together with the constant propaganda and attempts to silence the opposition press …

 

[stevevw]

The silver lining for the Democrats is now the Republicans will be running all levels of government for the next two years at least, and they will be able to stand back and criticize. The Republicans will have to get it right or they'll be removed. That's the beauty of the two party system.

Yes exactly. But I think over time the process has weakened where identity politics took over as the measure of what makes a good government or organisation and people. Ideologues with great influence could manipulate information and the narrative.

But after many years of this unreal ideology cracks started to appear between what was said and what was happening in the real world. Hense this built up and there has been a complete reset with the right winning so convincingly.

When we deny reality sooner or later it will need to readjust as humans cannot live in chaos for too long and we naturally seek stability.

The Left should keep the right in check if they also get our of whack. I remember we had a 3rd option for parties in Australia and they use to be right in the middle political spectrum from the Left and Right. The leader use to say his party keeps the bast***s honest in the Left and Right lol.

In some ways I think ultimately the system is designed to fail. To keep undermining itself. The opposition is designed to undermine any opposing policiesd even if they are good for the nation.

For any nation we need to have a unified belief in what it is we want for the nation and people. If a war started and some foreign force wanted to take away our freedoms we would soon get on the same page to protect our way of life.

 

[iarwain]

In some ways I think ultimately the system is designed to fail. To keep undermining itself. The opposition is designed to undermine any opposing policiesd even if they are good for the nation.

It's a human system, so it is going to be flawed.

 

[jas3]

In my perception, it was Trump that fueled this feeling of the other party being the enemy.

Then your perception is skewed. The reason Trump was hated so much before he even entered office - to the point that Democrats rioted across the country upon his election and in many cases refused to accept the results of the election - is because Democrats had been promoting the idea that Republicans are not only their political opponents, but morally inferior people, since at least the 2000's (specifically in the context of what have become known as the "culture wars").

This idea really got started when the Democrats decided to promote homosexual unions as "marriages," they argued that it was a human rights issue, the implication being that their opponents were inhumane oppressors. This kind of rhetoric found its way into Democrats' speech about race relations, abortion, gender, etc., years before Trump was even a candidate in the primaries.

 

[RDKirk]

Why are Americans required to state that they are part of a party? Over here few people are and are mostly allowed to keep that private.

The only time a person is required to identify party is in primary voting for the party's candidate...and not even that in all states.

Otherwise, people reveal their party only when they want to.

When I was active duty military, it was considered extremely bad form, particular for officers, to reveal their parties. That's why nobody knew Colin Powell was Republican until after he'd retired from the military.

 

[RDKirk]

An extremely dangerous position being taken by some Democrats is the public advice to shun family members who voted for the "wrong" party. That smells like the beginning of the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

 

[iarwain]

Under the assumption that the next elections will be fair.
There have been unfair means (Gerrymandering, less poll stations in areas with high democratic voter percentage, obstacles to registration …), with Trump as president they may perhaps increase, together with the constant propaganda and attempts to silence the opposition press …

Both sides play the gerrymandering game, unfortunately. Generally, it benefits Republicans to restrict voting to those who really care, while it benefits Democrats to include a wider base, such as including those who cannot obtain IDs or are not citizens. I remember awhile back there was a movement to lower the voting age to 16.

 

[rebornfree]

That is a consequence of the inner-party democracy: You must be enlisted as a party supporter to vote in the »primaries«.

I was wondering why you folk in the US seem to identify strongly with a political party. Thanks for explaining.

Why are Americans required to state that they are part of a party? Over here few people are and are mostly allowed to keep that private.

I didn't know that US citizens had to state their party support, but thanks for asking the question. It was similar to one I had and explains quite a lot. I also think that we are less aligned to a party, in the UK, because our MPs have free votes on moral issues.

 

[RDKirk]

I was wondering why you folk in the US seem to identify strongly with a political party. Thanks for explaining.

I didn't know that US citizens had to state their party support, but thanks for asking the question. It was similar to one I had and explains quite a lot. I also think that we are less aligned to a party, in the UK, because our MPs have free votes on moral issues.

Americans are not required to state party support. We're not even required to be in a party.

 

[stevevw]

It's a human system, so it is going to be flawed.

Ok so in acknowledging this do you think ultimately there is no chance that the current system can achieve true peace and unity no matter who is in charge unless they honor the truth principle that humans are made in Gods image.

 

[stevevw]

An extremely dangerous position being taken by some Democrats is the public advice to shun family members who voted for the "wrong" party. That smells like the beginning of the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

Man you only have to look at Joy Reids face and listen to how she says stuff to know she is not coming from any genuine position of equality and fairness. She is like a sour puss always griping and snarling with poison and bile. Her body language screams grievance and revenge.

It does have the hallmarks of Maosim but its also the same ideology as Islamist who hate the Jews and West and want the worse for them because of some ideological over reach and difference. Just like Islamists target Jews as their enermies the ideology targets Trump supporters being mainly white and males. But this seems to have expanded now to even minorities who support Trump.

To clarify this does not mean that people like Joy Reid are themselves Moaist or Islamist. Rather it is the ideological thinking that is at fault. Just like an addict is in denial and has stinking thinking while the person themselves not defined by their addiction but the addictive behaviour.

WE can tell that this is about belief and not rational because even minorities who use to be considered worthy and within the woke family are now being ostrasized simple for supporting Trump and the Right. Not because they may have genuine concerns or do have a point. But simply because they did not support the Lefts ideology.

 

[RDKirk]

Man you only have to look at Joy Reids face and listen to how she says stuff to know she is not coming from any genuine position of equality and fairness. She is like a sour puss always griping and snarling with poison and bile. Her body language screams grievance and revenge.

It does have the hallmarks of Maosim but its also the same ideology as Islamist who hate the Jews and West and want the worse for them because of some ideological over reach and difference. Just like Islamists target Jews as their enermies the ideology targets Trump supporters being mainly white and males. But this seems to have expanded now to even minorities who support Trump.

To clarify this does not mean that people like Joy Reid are themselves Moaist or Islamist. Rather it is the ideological thinking that is at fault. Just like an addict is in denial and has stinking thinking while the person themselves not defined by their addiction but the addictive behaviour.

WE can tell that this is about belief and not rational because even minorities who use to be considered worthy and within the woke family are now being ostrasized simple for supporting Trump and the Right. Not because they may have genuine concerns or do have a point. But simply because they did not support the Lefts ideology.

That's Critical Theory you're seeing with regard to the situation in Israel. The Israelis are marked as the "Colonizer" oppressors, the Palestinians are marked as the oppressed indigenous people.