Independent Thought
America has become a society of great division; a nation polarized, split into two distinct and converse groups. No longer do we have the party of democrats or the party of republicans; now it is simply liberal vs. conservative, and within both groups are a variety of sub-groups that are only concerned with propelling an agenda; usually a closed minded, self-serving agenda that does little or nothing to advance the greatness of the American society.
Somewhere along the way Americans have lost their most defining trait: the ability to think freely; to set aside their political persuasion, ethnicity, background, and the social leaning of their formal education to identify problems at the root and seek logical, rational solutions that do not advance any one body's control nor impede the rights of individuals to live free, and advance their own religious, economic, and intellectual pursuits.
Surely in a nation of such diverse and rich culture, we should not be defined in one of only two categories; yet, through the efforts of our political leadership, the "free" press and sadly, many of our educational institutions this is precisely what has taken place.
I'm not exactly sure when we as a people began considering other Americans on the opposite side of the political spectrum as "the enemy" nor when we reduced intellectual debate to it's lowest common denominator of fallacious accusation and vicious slandering; but here we are.
No longer do we debate topics on the merits of a given proposal; we do not seek the best likely outcome, we look only to remain balanced upon a partisan tight-rope and avoid the very thing that made us a nation: the willingness -the duty (in fact)- to question authority, to abstain from partisan lines, to think freely, and to not only value but celebrate individualism.
To what end, have we adopted this ridiculous notion that motive and opinion can be defined by ethnic religious or cultural persuasion? When we can clearly see that independent thought and individual emotion breaches every one of these boundaries.
We have lowered our entire intellectual discourse to one that consist of only race and religion; making it impossible to seek logical solutions to contemporary issues for fear of someone being offended, making our society not one of laws and equality but one of emotionalism and relative truths.
There is a passage in the Bible that states simply: "you shall know them by their fruit" despite what rhetoric maybe coming out of their mouths, despite what they contend are their motives; it is the result of their policies that must be judged, not the people themselves.
I would like to share with you the thoughts of a man that I believe is not encumbered by ideology, but has an uncanny ability for reason, outside of emotional or cultural biases.
Dr. Thomas Sowell: The Vision of the Anointed:
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