What the heck is a polity and who cares? What the hey? There he goes again throwing around those three-dollar words. Is it some kind of frog? More and more these days anything relating to politics might as well be coming out of the north end of a southbound mule.
But rather than blowing smoke or trying for some kind of kum-ba-yah moment as we anxiously lurch toward our 250th birthday as a nation, it might be worthwhile right now to take a look at what this anniversary is really about, or should be about.
Nope, not shooting off fireworks or waving flags, but maybe actually taking a measure of responsibility for this struggling nation state, republic and democracy.
A polity folks, is a group of people focused on a common goal, the same goal; in this case governing ourselves. Looking at history; something they were good at, our founding fathers worked out the basic mechanics: three branches and a way to fix obvious, major malfeasance, screw ups and roadblocks; i.e.; impeachment and amendments.
Their vision was that everyone would be a part of that governing group, that polity. But it took a Civil War, a tremendous amount of gumption and guts by a lot of folks and four amendments to get us close to that vision, and some would argue, because too many of the body politic is either not paying attention or has been filled to overflowing with a whole mess of Boogie Man hoo-ha by folks who want to get rid of the whole idea of a truly functional polity.
As we come up on this 250th anniversary, it might be a good time for us to decide. Do we still want to work toward that common vision or do we want to pretty much toss the whole idea into a cocked hat and take turns watching blood drenched cage matches and manufactured and malfunctioning wars and alternately gazing longingly into the algae-covered and peeling reflecting “pond” while turning over the whole shebang to a herd of posterior sniffing, self-described “experts” as they enthusiastically shovel one pile of cock and bull after another at us and persecute and prosecute anybody who opposes them.
Hey folks, this is not about political parties and it’s sure as heck is not about name calling. It’s about a functioning polity made of all of us, with the guts and will to respect, trust in and passionately commit to our freely functioning system of self-governance as envisioned and designed by the framers and fought for and defended by countless of us over those 250 years; black, brown and indigenous, Hispanic and Asian born, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, atheist and agnostic, gay, straight and trans. Each one of us part of that polity, that shared belief in a system of governance that not only welcomes and values all, but where each one has a say in our own self-governance and where each one of us is subject to the same fair laws and equitable implementation of justice.
Sorry folks, it’s time for us all to stop playing infantile “gotcha” political games. There ain’t no score keeping here. If there was, frankly, the final score’s gonna be a shutout, “US – 0”.
If we really want to sign on to be part of this venerable 250-year-old polity, it’s a lifetime commitment, not to individual good, i.e.; video games, goofy social media, McMansions and shiny adult toys, but to the common good, all of us, whatever our race, nation of origin, gender determination, ethnicity or faith belief system.
It’s our choice. We either respect, learn, accept, believe and commit or we take the consequences. And as I sit here under the graceful and stately River Tree, those consequences are coming right down the pike at us. It’s up to us, every God blessed one of us. We, the people, are indivisible, if we choose.
