Dissent is not disloyalty

The current political struggle in Washington is evidence that a double standard is ever present in the political spectrum. The recent military action of engaging Moammar Gadhafi and his forces in Libya, initiated by President Obama, continues to this day. Sound familiar? Some politicians compare these military procedures to those taken by George W. Bush in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some, who did not support Bush’s actions have warmed to the idea of the military support in Libya taken by President Obama. However, others who supported actions by Bush have spoken out against President Obama’s military procedures. Military and policy support should not be determined by whether or not your political party is behind the action. This policy is an indication of the growing resentment between the left and the right going into this next election.

Double standards are dangerous in the political arena. Politics must go beyond the candidate or party. Dissent doesn’t remove support for political candidate, but rather confirms the notion that Americans must come to terms that it’s fine to disagree with actions made by political parties. A political entity must never be too important for dissent.

In the beginning stages of the military actions against Libya, some prominent members of the Republican Party came forth in strong opposition to these Bush-like actions. Individuals who were highly critical of President Bush’s actions going as far as calling them unconstitutional should now reconsider these claims if they are supporting President Obama’s actions. Though these are two very different altercations at hand, they still represent some intriguing similarities. Americans cannot afford to support petty political games in this crucial time. The right and left should not see each other as enemies seeking to oppose the moves and ideals of one another. We must support our ideals that are a representation of what we believe. If one supports military aid against oppressive dictators, one must do so regardless of who issues the orders. Libya is only one example of this type of behavior in politics. Americans cannot allow this to become the standard for political thought in this country. If we view the other political ideology as the enemy in this country than so will the chasm of resentment continue to widen. Americans cannot afford to see political differences as what’s wrong with this country, but rather something that makes this country great.

The answers to all of America’s problems do not belong to one single party. This is a nation divided amongst diverse people with many ideals and both parties must work together through bi-partisan efforts. Washington must seek compromise between the two sides, but still not lose sight of what makes this great country. This idea of political resentment can be extended to how we perceive individuals ideals. Just because someone has different ideals does not mean they are ignorant or incompetent. Americans cannot pledge support on a party line, but must realize the importance of objective compromise and its role in getting America back on track.

Posted by Ben Elliot on Apr 7 2011. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.