Hello, it’s We. Same Auld Lang Syne. And frankly I’m tired of hearing it. I’m simply not interested in all the Happy New Year’s glad tidings if all we’re going to do is return to our pre-pandemic grimy ways, especially in our political discourse. Coronavirus has exposed the inefficiencies in our systems; health, political, educational, and social etc.
Through the pandemic these same systems have been allowed to further erode as the needs of the American people go unmet. Why? In my opinion, it is because our representatives have lost touch. They are career politicians. Their careers are based on what they can do for themselves and not for We the People. And it’s our fault. We let them do it by default when we continue to vote them back into office.
While people rail about the “liberal media bias” they fail to understand that media is more than just MSNBC and CNN. Media consists of newspapers, radio, social media, journals, books, etc. If you really want to know why the country is so divided listen to AM radio and you’ll understand more clearly why we are in the position we’re in today. Much of the information we hear on these sources is not necessarily credible, due mainly to a right-wing media propaganda machine that has infiltrated the ethos of the American consciousness through this media source. Many people believe this insidious ideology, which is based on a political narrative that has convinced them they are being victimized by the same system they have and continue to benefit from.
Because these sources are considered entertainment outlets and not news platforms, the hosts of these shows often bear no responsibility for their words. Instead, they make millions of dollars for this toxic rhetoric while many conservative political representatives seize upon the low hanging fruit of these noxious sentiments.
Have our collective eyes been opened by the negligent behavior of our representatives during this pandemic? Perhaps the reason these extreme candidates have been coming up through the political ranks is because they’ve taken advantage of this wave of irrational right-wing discourse.
Has 2020 opened our eyes, or have we learned nothing? Will we go forward in 2021 with clear vision? Let this be the year we insist that our public servants remember who it is they serve. Let US remember that united We stand, divided WE the people fall.
Hello, it’s WE!!!
Jacque Williams is the host of City Views, a Radio personality at WAPJ FM 89.9 & 105.1 Torrington Community Radio and Founder and Program Director of Culture for a Cause, whose mission is to build communities through music and the arts.