Polarization

In response to the burgeoning Tea Party movement, many democrats and progressives organized themselves a One Nation rally.  I attended the One Nation rally at Los Angeles City College a couple of weeks back and the atmosphere was refreshing.  There was good energy and you could feel the emotion of good intentions.  The rally was smaller than I imagined and lined with union staff.  Deceiving onlookers the real turnout and participation for the event.  Though the energy was good it wasn’t nearly as vibrant or as hopeful as the “Yes we can!” presidential campaign.  Behind the loud claps and shouts of unity I sensed an underlying dejection.  A response, perhaps, to rationalizing broken promises and the hope that never materialized.

For me the rally punctuated our separation by affiliation.  Clustered into tribes.  The affiliation consumes importance.  This rally was more response than statement.  More argumentative than persuasive.  Promoting ‘us against them’.  While both rallies, Tea Party and One Nation, call for the end of the wars (see pics above).  And both rallies, Tea Party and One Nation, called for an end to NAFTA/GATT.  The affiliation precedes the common issue.  Weakening the constituency.  Strengthening singular interests.  And nothing gets done.