As I listen to the news and see TV coverage of the behavior of our radical groups, both on the Right and on the Left, I think I have a hint of what it must have felt like in the years leading up to the American Civil War…or as some like to call it, the War Between the States.
In “Not Before Midnight,” the FBI characters bemoan the lack of help from city police in apprehending and holding people accused of breaking the law. I thought at the time it was a simple, true representation of the attitude of many FBI agents and law enforcement officers. The novel is just fiction written as honestly as I can, but fiction nonetheless. The characters are not “real” in the sense of living flesh and blood.
One old friend from high school days complimented me by treating the characters as real. Consequently, I’ve been removed from her Facebook list of good guys. And recently, another old friend sent a ranting message that implied I was some kind of dimwit for not buying in blindly on the notion of global warming and hatred of the President.
And just like that, I became aware of how deeply effective the divisive stories in our news actually are. By gollies, I don’t think I’m far off the mark when I say we are choosing sides, just like Americans did in the time leading up to the secession of our Southern States.
I have the faint hope the division remains within the scope of news stories and political and personal rants and tweets. I fear for all of us if it does not.
In the meantime, I admit to a small sorrow for the loss of old friends.
Rod
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