“Hatred is the most accessible and comprehensive of all the unifying agents. Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without a belief in a devil.” Eric Hoffer, The True Believer, Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements
Last week on the way to Vigeland Park in Oslo, Norway, I drove by the Nobel Peace Center. The Nobel Peace Prize came to mind. Later, as I reflected, peace in general came to mind.
Europe and America are at war against Russia in Ukraine fueled by the grievances and hatreds of Vladimir Putin. And peace at home is too often missing. Several days ago, an 18-year-old opened fire at a grocery store in Buffalo, NY killing 12 people; his motivation, racial hatred. Where did that come from? We know it was not an isolated instance.
As usual much of the talk among politicians was about gun restrictions. It always is. Nothing happens. As a practical matter, not much can happen unless the Courts re-interpret the 2nd Amendment freedom more narrowly or we amend the Constitution. Not anticipating the former I favor the latter.
Eric Hoffer (July 25, 1898 – May 21, 1983)
A pinnacle of hope over reality in my life was when Barack Obama was selected to be honored with the Nobel Peace Prize a year into his presidency. Even many of his enthusiastic supporters wondered why.
Peace is not a political card. It should not be thrown around willy-nilly, although it is. Peace is a reality or its not and in America today too often it is not. But what we know for sure is that people who use the political playing deck without regard to the responsibility of living in a free society are toxic. Peace is essential in a free country.
American Presidents live in the shadow of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln understood the necessity of being a wartime President to achieve a national peace. He accepted the challenge of reestablishing the United States while ending slavery.
Hard times followed Lincoln’s assassination; there was plenty left to do to achieve Lincoln’s dream and we know that President after President came up short—some way short.
Today do we live in a Democracy where problems can be peacefully resolved? The conditions we now face are not promising. Tribalism. Polarization. Hateful assertions spread instantly by electronic networks. And what about freedom’s facilitator and interpreter. What happens when news coverage is eclipsed by viewpoint news?
Our Constitution says hands off speech. We are left with a puzzle. Discernment is the only way to peaceful solutions, but the problematic elements turn back on themselves. Emotion begets emotion and so often trumps logic. And when it comes to leadership the logical are infrequently good at performance.
It is damnably hard to push beyond pre-dispositions and emotions. For politicians and voters alike. We are barraged with claims and their opposite and virtually every candidate has had a bad day telescoped as simply a bad human being.
Returning to the warnings from Eric Hoffer (President Eisenhower’s favorite philosopher) who watched the masses assemble behind Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin: “Mass movements can rise and spread without belief in a god, but never without a belief in a devil.”
Donald Trump chose to cast first Barack Obama and then Hillary Clinton as devils. And then his list grew to include any person of some prominence that was critical of his words or actions. And, over time the “devils” extended to Republicans who didn’t kneel—RINOs (Republicans in name only) he called them. They too were enemies. Ronald Reagan charmed his adversaries; Donald Trump damned them with vicious language.
America’s strength is in its optimism about the future and the way we understand accomplishment. Rarely have I heard somebody who is honored not expand the recipients to “our team”. But that is not Trump’s world. Trump’s world resembles boxing—there is one person in the ring and the enablers are largely invisible. Trump as Rocky.
Peace in American political culture, Left and Right, can at any point be elusive and when it is lacking the reasons can be damnably complex. But I know this, politics and public affairs in general are the worse for Donald Trump, his tactics and acolytes. The sooner he and his legacy of bitter politics leave the scene the better.
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
Stephen Schaare says
Dear Mr. Sikes, For quite some time, I have read and enjoyed your submissions in “The Spy”. Have always perceived your views as reasoned and balanced.
With the greatest of respect I must say it was a struggle to follow you today. Very difficult.
As I have stated many times in the past, Donald Trump is no longer the American President. So many on the left keep mentioning “the big lie”, the belief held that so many Republicans believe Trump won in 2020. I certainly do not know any of them. Seems to me it is the left that keeps believing “the big lie”. Trump is kept in office, in many minds by continually blaming the former President for just about everything.
Are you, with your words and strange graphic, blaming Trump for Buffalo?
Since you mentioned Hillary, do you believe her “basket of deplorables ” remark, referring to Trump supporters was healing and unifying?
Do you believe these most recent “mega, ultra Maga” remarks by Joe Biden are helpful?
Certainly you cannot agree that Biden, A.G. Garland, and D.H.S. secretary Mayorkas stating that “white supremacy is the greatest domestic threat” is helpful.
As always, I enjoyed your essay, but it was a struggle.
Be well-Steve
Deirdre LaMotte says
Look at the facts Stephan. Trump, who you try to
deflect, is the front runner for the 2024 GOP nomination.
Take that in everyone, the grab the private parts, twice impeached former grifter in Chief leads a Party that
has lost it’s soul.
And yes, of course he is responsible for Buffalo. The
KKK March in Charlottesville ended with a death and his comment?
Good people on both sides. White Supremacy has flourished with the MAGA crowd. It is their anthem.
He is sick. And he is backed by the GOP because the Party’s terrified of his popularity with those who want to
keep taxes low and those who love his racism. You know, the race to the bottom. I might add too, the
ridiculously named “pro-life” group love him as well.
Must be that Jesus and semi automatic thing going on with these losers.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Deirdre, Love your rants. I spell it Stephen. Steve
Forster says
Profound impact, as Always, by Al Sikes !!
William Dalton says
Steve who replied to Al’s most recent essay says he does not know anyone who claims Trump is the duly elected President. Steve lives a sheltered life. One of my best friends, a retired Federal Judge says without a doubt the election was stolen. A neighbor a block over flys two Trump flags and has a lighted Trump sign in his front yard. I personally think Trump may be the Devil incarnate, not just consumed by his Devils.
Stephen Schaare says
Hi William, “Sheltered”? Perhaps. Maybe I simply associate with a nicer cut of people. I do not hang with dullards or radicals. Steve
Mary (Cole) Laub says
The current Republican politicians I find most terrifying are not the idiotic Marjorie Taylor Greene nor the spoiled and uneducated Madison Cawthorn, Lauren Boebert et al.
The most terrifying, evil and able to destroy our future are the JD Vance and Josh Hawley types….all in for their own power and ego. Democrats have their own special evil folks too – Kyrsten Sinema comes to mind.
WI Is a particular scary place to be these days. McCarthyism in the likes of Ron Johnson, and Tom Tiffany make me want to give up. Then I remember that we have grandchildren who are the future. They are smart and I trust their values and beliefs. Trump’s Big Lie needs yo end and Ron Johnson hopefully will lose.
Thank you for this article. Hope you enjoyed your Norwegian trip.
Al Sikes says
Thanks Mary. Good to hear from you!
Linda Baker says
I respectfully disagree with you Mr. Sykes. I have so much to say in response but seeing is believing, so I will refrain from trying to give argument with words. I’m not quite sure why Trump is a thorn in your side unless you’re afraid he may be elected again. Or did you watch 2000 Mules? May we all be awakened to the Truth soon.
richard a kobasic says
I have a neighbor who took down his American flag and put up a f@#k JOE BIDEN flag. I asked a local police officer if that was legal. (I’m from the generation where you were told by police you couldn’t use the American flag as a window covering) He started rambling on about freedom of speech! I replied that school busses go by that home four times daily and that I have very young grandchildren whom I didn’t want to see anything like that when we take them to the store. He tried to make another lame point when I just stopped him mid sentence and thanked him for is time. My father always told me “When you argue with an idiot you just make two idiots”. This is where we are as a nation and it all goes back to Frump and his accolytes constantly lying and accelerating apathy even in the police. We’re in a bad way and whose gonna save us?
Stephen Schaare says
Hi Richard, Not Joseph Robinette Biden Jr..
William Dalton says
Richard’s father was an intelligent person and his advice is particularly relevant to the comments of Stephen. My father always told me “you can lead a donkey to water but can’t make him drink”. Some people will always express their admiration for a draft dodger, slanderer of American heroes. A record holder of two impeachments and a proven habitual liar. Most of us don’t associate with such “deplorables” or even know them. Maybe that is because I am a dullard and a radical believer in our democracy.
Stephen Schaare says
William, Do not believe I argue at all, be they dullards or otherwise.
I try to employ common sense and the truth.
Where have I been dishonest?
Be well-Steve
Deirdre LaMotte says
It is truly astounding that people still support the GOP. We’ll, unless one looks at history and see the love for Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco.
Remember when we collectively as a nation deplored such fascists? I would argue that the citizens of Germany, Italy and Spain would say
the same: the organic growth of fascism is under everyone’s radar. It happens and it propagates.
Add social media in the 21st century has forced it among susceptible demographics:those insecure in their place in society, blaming people of color for such situations, not caring about anything but deregulation and tax cuts and the right wing media falsification of facts.
These people are suckers, all of them, and their candidates are preening sycophants that have no place in public life.
Sarah Oppenheimer says
https://www.finepeoplehoax.net/
Al Sikes says
Words speak for themselves
https://twitter.com/atticus59914029/status/1526319877346181120?s=21&t=4vtSW6CT4avxtoy2Yd5-rw
Niccolo Tartaglia says
This type of inflammatory rhetoric is irresponsible, but so is conflating it with the tragedy in Buffalo. A few years ago, the rapper Snoop Dogg shot an effigy of Trump in the head in his music video “Lavender.” Anyone who would also conflate that with other acts of violence, such at the tragedy in Waukesha, would be equally wrong to do so. I find the suggestion in both cases reprehensible. It does nothing to heal the tribalism that plagues us and it is orthogonal to the peace I have no doubt you sincerely want. Moreover, it fuels the instincts of the totalitarian censorship wings of both parties.
Since I feel it needs to be disclaimed these days least anything I say be dismissed, I am no fan of Mr. Trump. However, the members of our political and managerial classes that grandstand on the graves of victims are beneath contempt. All should be ashamed.
Sarah Oppenheimer. says
President Biden public stated at the start and through his 2020 campaign that the reason he decided to run was because then President Trump called Neo-Nazis and white nationalists ‘very fine people’. He repeated this countless times over the course of his campaign, into his presidency and continues to repeat it to this day. This is the most divisive, destructive and intentional lie in the history of our country. (It is also easily debunked. https://www.finepeoplehoax.net/).
Imagine being a young person, particularly a young person of color and believing that the sitting president of the United States would public say such a thing. Then imagine that those same young people belive that half of their fellow citizens would vote to re-elect a man who said such things. How would you feel about anyone who would vote for Trump if you believed this lie? This my friends is what evil looks like.
Sandra Snowden says
Is Donald Trump’s exit from the political scene really going to make a difference when a staggering number of Americans subscribe to his philosophy, hatred, and congress refuses to address domestic terrorism? Maybe yes because both are perpetrated by…?