One, the GOP
Screaming about baby killers and abortion
Screaming about how white people should be in charge/white erasure
Screaming about Second Amendment rights and the NRA
Screaming about drag queens at libraries/which books to ban/trans women in sports/trans pp in general
Next door, the Dems
Screaming about baby killers and the NRA
Screaming for diversity and social/racial justice
Screaming about how First Amendment rights should not not cover hate speech
Screaming about banned books in libraries
BOTH have sarcastic, insulting rhetoric (but their side is right, of course)
Both have media outlets devoted to their side
Neither want to hear what THEY think in the other room
Swearing, condemning… never listening to anyone next door
But who would be heard, anyway? Everyone is screaming.
(c) 2023 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil, for my friends at What’s Going On?
We were asked to write about how life is going on in your neck of the woods. Just last week, we moved to the rural city of Platteville, WI (a university town, smaller than Madison), Lex was called as a pastor to a UCC church here. I was invited to a political meeting, and the enthusiasm there reminded me of the equal passion of GOP voters. Now, no one was screaming! It was friendly, at times a little rowdy in the best way… but needless to say, anyone in a MAGA hat would have walked in and walked back out again. I took it a step further when I thought about larger rallies, the rhetoric, and the basic ethos of both sides of the aisle, with a miles-wide ditch dug in between. And a moat. Possibly with dragons. Anyway, you get the idea. GUARD YOUR HEARTS this election season. Last time around, 45 ate my brain – and had a side dish of my very soul. And I put it out on the buffet for him. He didn’t feel my frustration; only I did, and to the detriment of creativity and all things healthy. Fool me once, shame on him. Fool me twice, well, not if I can help it.
Sharp Little Pencil 
Mary
Ah, yes, there is a lot of screaming going on (destroying civility as we knew it)….so much so that much of the time I try to escape from it in some way – read a book, listen to a book, listen to music, write something, walk, walk, walk, and walk again. Clean something, exercise, and so on. Not that I don’t know what is going on, and I do read more than enough news on the internet and watch enough on the news channels, but I am trying to keep my sanity intact and pray, pray, hope, hope that people will not be taken in again……
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks for this, Mary. Some good alternatives there… again, anything is better than the 24/7 channels.
Sherry Marr
Amy, I feel the same way. Those four years almost did me in. My sense of justice was outraged daily. I dread it happening again and cant BELIEVE what all that hateful rhetoric has done to the world. We now have division and overt hate crimes happening in Canada. I have to hope there is more love and humanity in the world than hate, but it isnt feeling like it right now. So glad you joined the conversation, kiddo. It sounds like your new parish is a warm and friendly one. Yay! When a political discussion can stay positive, that is a good and rare thing, so polarized are the opposing “sides”. Here is a smile. Our wonderful Green leader coined the phrase “Make Canada boring again.” LOL. I wish.
Sharp Little Pencil
Now THAT is a great slogan! Yes, it’s been heating up for months now. I have to keep in mind that no one does politics for fun, right? Cuz we weren’t laughing then, snd we sure aren’t even cracking a smile so far.
Renee Espriu
So very true. That’s all they do is scream and achieve nothing. Well said, Amy.
True
I think politicians have forgotten who they work for? The people! Now, get to work and do your jobs. All the lies and screaming is accomplishing nothing of good.
susanstoo
“Two Rooms” indeed! And where they intersect in attitude and behavior is not pretty. You bring it all together here. I fear the rising fascism accompanied by a scarcity of humanity and kindness. It sounds like you have found a good place to ride out the storm.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Susan. I am trying hard to find common ground – but first, I have to listen. I am in the minority here. This is Trump country, except for the group I visited that week, all diehard Roosevelt Dems. But the rhetoric on both sides is tense and harsh. Thanks!
Sumana Roy
“Everyone is screaming.”…Nothing can be truer than this. There are so many NOs around anything positive. I LOVE the title.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Sumana! I moved to what is mostly Trump country, and I am in the political minority here. This blog will keep me sane – I am so grateful that this new city affords me a chance to live into my retirement. It’s also good to reconnect with old friends like you!
marja
Yes the division in the world seems to be worse than ever Two rooms Great description. I think differences between people are natural but not how people deal with it. I read a book about non-violent communication by M Rosenberg and that should be taught on every school.
Sharp Little Pencil
Marja, I have read that book as part of a Bible study – talk about faith in action. The concepts indeed should be taught in schools, along with mindfulness and meditation. I wish those had been available to my Luka when they were in school. Thanks so much!
drpkp
Everyone is screaming… yes true enough.. though I do have a bias here – it seems to me that one room is filled with people screaming in frustration and fear that “alternate facts” dominate and that fascistic leanings are simply ignored or worse accepted and the second room is filled with the screaming of virulent hatred and cult-like adoration. Two rooms indeed…. Two realities – terrifying when one is determined to advance an agenda of hatred and loosening of democracy. Yes, there can be nonviolent communication and it needs to be taught and encouraged – perhaps groups such as the “consciousness raising groups” of the early women’s movement… ah yes, ,y fairy-tale brain peeks out from the reality of the rage and screaming to gently whisper “what if?” Nice piece …
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, how I wish I had been part of those conscious raising groups! Women’s liberation was so fresh, so exciting then!
As it is, I maintain that each group feels the other group is out of line and damaging America. For example, my sister thinks that including books iwth LBGTQ themes is forcing an agenda on her kids. And yet, when I see NRA literature or Army recruitment lit, I want to dump it in the garbage. If she thinks being LBTQ is evil, how am I any different?
Trying to see the other’s POV is hard work. I am determined to listen more. Much love to you, Pearl Girl! Amer
erbiage
Oh you are so right. There is so little difference they have to build in an aisle to keep it straight! What nonsense!
Sharp Little Pencil
Touche!!!