by DAVID HARSANYI
Joe Biden’s calls for “unity” might sound reassuring, but political harmony is usually an ugly, authoritarian goal that undermines the entire purpose of a free nation and “democracy.” Other than occasional moments of national tragedy or exultation, we don’t need it. Unity is for dictatorships. In an ideologically, culturally, and religiously diverse country, we just need Americans to accept that their neighbors are going to disagree with them.
And, yes, appeals to “unity” have historically been little more than euphemistic calls to accept left-wing cultural mores. One never achieves “unity” in American politics by respecting socially conservative values. One does so by finally opening his closed mind and soul to ever-evolving progressive standards.
Recall the pseudo-patriotic “unity” sloganeering and accompanying hero worship surrounding Barack Obama. When the late Rush Limbaugh — on whom Democrats had once blamed the Oklahoma City bombing — had the audacity to say he wanted Obama to “fail,” it became a national story. Then came the wave of feigned anger about his lack of patriotism. Because Democrats would be, of course, clamoring for Donald Trump to succeed, right?
Many of us wanted Obama to fail because his ideas undermined the constitutional order and important norms in America. Why would anyone unify around the idea that we need to “change” our foundational principles? To be fair, those on the left don’t really view their positions as being partisan. It’s all just good, moral common sense.
Anyway, when you get old enough, you start noticing that whenever Democrats win an election, Americans are called to unify and heal the moral fabric of a nation that endured a Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush or Donald Trump. Obama was all about healing. When Biden vanquished the Orange Dragon, the country again needed mending. Remember that Time magazine cover featuring Joe Biden and Kamala Harris with the words “A Time To Heal”? It reflected the tone of coverage across the media.
This time around, the call for unity came on the heels of eight years of hysterics, conspiracizing, hyper-smearing of opponents — and only after an assassination attempt on the Republican presidential candidate. The president who now wants unity was not long ago pounding on the podium in front of a crimson background accusing half the country of being semi-fascists. No thanks.
Unlike many on the right, I view the “threat to democracy” stuff, in and of itself, as relatively normal hyperbole. I mean, I believe Biden’s a threat to “democracy.” The problem is that it’s paired up with the paranoiac “Trump is Hitler” stuff and the “Trump is going to put our kids in concentration camps” stuff and the “Trump is going to execute reporters” stuff and the “Trump is a clandestine asset for a foreign adversary” stuff.
Times have changed. Trump now has the support of the youth and even the rap community.
To Democrats, “unity” is “submission”. All must submit to their ideology. Nothing else is acceptable.
If anyone remembers, I at least gave Obama the benefit of the doubt on both of his acceptance speeches. He gave a good talk. However, it was rapidly shown that it was just talk and for the venomous left, it was still business as usual. Robin Ware/Robert L. Peters/JRB Ware/Pedo Peter/idiot Biden is no different; in fact, he is controlled by the same lying fascist socialist.
joe should watch his side and front as much as his back.
It isn’t always lack of unity because of those on the right.
The Left always eats its own.
Like AOC getting abandoned by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) for not being far enough to the left!
She is under the bus as far as America’s socialists are concerned.
joe, it happened to her, it can happen to you.
(Except that nobody wants to stand in your shoes and run against Trump.)