Crystal Clear Contrasts

My objective is to dispel some of the claims of one party [Republicans] and to acknowledge the ethos of the other [Democrats]. It is quite interesting in the evolution of the Republican Party since it was Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves from the physical form of slavery. Fast forward to the 21^st century and the Republicans are not ones to suffer the poor and the weak. From the start of the 20^th century, Democrats have always made attempts for social justice and social change; sometimes to the detriment of the party and its candidates.

In “Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts” an essay by Bruce Catton, he wrote [of Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee] that “they represented the strengths of two conflicting currents”[1] and that is a fair assessment to describe the two major political parties. As Catton’s article is so symbolic in the contrasts, I will expound the contrasts of the two parties by incorporating his essay.

Catton referred to Lee as “the Virginia aristocrat” who “lived in a static society which could endure almost anything except change.” The essay shares that “Lee stood for the feeling that it was somehow of advantage to human society to have a pronounced inequality in the social structure.” This is the ideology of the Republican Party, what they are itching to revert the country back to. In their championing for Wall Street, the oil industry, for war, and the wealthiest Americans they have laid their cards on the table. In the disclosure of Representative John Boehner’s golfing excursions, we get a minute glimpse of the Republicans’ insatiable appetite for the finer things in life. Money and power are the twin offsprings of greed and the focus of the Republicans. Republicans do not care for change, especially when it allows those they perceive as inferior to being given the opportunities to be on equal footing. Republicans, like Lee, prefer the genteel life; the life led by many in the South prior to the emancipation. A time when white men were the power, a time when women, Blacks, and other minorities ‘had their place’ and the men answered to no one for their actions.

The fact that they allow minorities and women to actively participate within the party was a bitter pill for them to swallow and not really what they want for their party, however, to deny these groups would surely cost them at the polls. This arrangement is akin to a shotgun wedding. Notice how hard they fight against anything that would benefit the poor and minorities, albeit the majority of the poor are African-Americans as seen in the aftermath of catastrophic Katrina.

Catton referred to Grant as the “Westerner” who “would fight with an equal tenacity for the broader concept of society.” Catton also wrote that from Grant’s perspective “no man was born to anything, except perhaps to a chance to show how far he could rise.” This is what the Democrats fight for; this is what they believe. The Democrats feel that every citizen within this great nation should have the opportunity, the right for the pursuit of happiness and their dreams, the very meaning of democracy and what Grant fought for.

The Democrats understand, like the creators of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”[2] Democrats realizes that being poor does not mean one is not intelligent, that one just need the opportunity to climb out of that economical black hole. Democrats realize that making social changes are steps to guaranteeing equality to every citizen, to right a wrong that has been perpetrated for far too long. Democrats know that in equality comes strength for the nation but they also realize to reverse in any manner or remain stagnate would only un-ravel the basis of democracy and this country. Democrats, as Harry Truman did [President Truman enacted Executive Order Number 9981 to integrate the military in 1948], realized that when the under-served is given an opportunity, they will indeed rise to the occasion as in World War II and the Tuskegee Airmen. Although these Black men were treated immorally, they persisted and learned how to fly and when given the chance, they dis-proved the myths of racism and bias.[3] This is what the Democrats understand and this is why this party is truly for the people as the Democrats know with inclusion comes unity and strength for the nation.

The Republicans are ambiguous as the Democrats are critical thinkers. The ambiguous have no clear direction to move the country forward; they are too busy missing the good ole days. They are consumed with the power and fringe benefits of being a politician. The critical thinkers have ideas of how to move the country forward but they need clear-headed Americans to climb on board. They know that if the poor and middle class have the resources and opportunities, they could and would move forward which betters our society. With available resources and opportunities socio-economics would broaden and cut out some of the root causes of societal ills. Critical thinkers sometimes butt heads with each other while the ambiguous stick to the party line which is a quote attributed to Marie Antoinette “let them eat cake.”[4]

“Grant was the modern man emerging (Catton)”, so is the Democratic Party; a party full of diversity and the true representation of American society. Meanwhile, the Republicans, like Lee, “might have ridden down from the old age (Catton)”. With no ideas for bringing the nation together and moving forward, they play upon the fears and suspicions of a group of the citizenry using abstract generalizations thus creating wider racial and economic divisions and contributing to the breakdown of our great nation. While the Democrats have insights for our national direction and in the global community, the Republicans are intangible, only knowing that they want to be in power, nothing else matters. Their very behavior is and of itself immoral. Although the Republicans strut like peacocks exclaiming their claims of patriotism and religious morals; their very actions is incongruous to the very ideals they claim to follow. The Democrats have shown by their actions that they are the party that understands the definition of democracy. They have shown by their deeds for the poor of our country that they are far more moral than many give them credit for. How appropriate that the group that embodies all that we hope for, indeed, all that we strive for; to be better than we are; the group who embodies what was fought for in the Revolutionary War and the Civil War are called Democrats.

I hope that I have adequately and objectively addressed the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. We all desire a more united country but this can only be achieved by supporting the party who will attempt to level the playing field so that those living in pockets of poverty will have the resources and opportunities afforded to other segments of our society. The responsibility of a politician is to fight for those who have no power; to fairly represent every constituent not just those who can contribute to a campaign. The establishment of the first government within this nation was to protect the citizens from the heavy, unfair, and unjust rule of the British king; to protect the individual right to live a decent life and to be a contributing member of society. Ideology is nice, however, if it interferes with the laws upon which the government and indeed this nation, was built upon, then the lives given for these freedoms would have been in vain. There is indeed a clear difference between the Democrats and Republicans and while neither is infallible, it is imperative for each and every one of us to realize that actions do speak louder than words. We cannot leave it up to politicians alone for the betterment of our country but we should elect those who endeavor to unite us as a nation, not use our fears to tear us apart thus tearing the nation apart.

In conclusion, as a very flawed Born-again Christian, I vote for those who will take care of those Jesus Christ associated with ‘the least of these’, the very ones the Pharisees and Sadducees [Republicans of Jesus’ time] refused to acknowledge. For all of you who vote Republican because of their ideology remember this, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world and not according to Christ.”[5] Jesus was most explicit when He said to the disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”[6] Following the Republicans does not guarantee one the key to heaven especially if you cannot answer these questions: “When I was hungry, did you feed Me? When I was thirsty, did you give Me drink? When I was a stranger, did you take Me in? When I was naked, did you clothe Me? When I was sick, did you visit Me? When I was in prison, did you come to Me? Assuredly, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”[7] No flesh and blood can ‘represent your values’ if your faith is based in the truth of Jesus Christ, anything more than that is hypocrisy. The Republicans show no mercy, no compassion for the least of these. Remember, Jesus took this treatment personally, He said, “you did not do it to ME”, how can one not understand that? My personal faith is not in the Democratic Party but I know that they will help “the least of these” and their actions represent more compassion, more mercy than the Republicans have ever shown. For those of you still caught up in the ‘WWJD’, He has not only shown us, He told us, “Whatever you do [or not] to the least of these, you do to Him.” Is this not crystal clear?

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[1]

Catton, Bruce. “Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts.” The American Story. Ed. Garet

Garrett. Chicago, Regenery, 1955. Margie Waguespeck’s Webpage. 26

November 2003. Amarillo College Website. 4 January 2004.

Retrieved August 19, 2010 from

http://faculty.ucc.edu/english-chewning/catton.htm

http://users.ipfw.edu/ruflethe/grantandlee.html

[2] Declaration of Independence, http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

[3] Tuskegee Airmen History, http://www.tuskegeeairmen.org/

[4] http://thinkexist.com/quotation/if_the_people_have_no_bread-let_them_eat_cake/342944.html

[5] Colossians 2:8

[6] Luke 12:1

[7] Matthew 25:32-46