I wonder whether the irony was lost on the “Stop the Steal” marchers in Washington this past Wednesday. So many of the marchers when interviewed expressed emotions about “regaining my freedom”. The implication seemed to be that government, or at least parts of it, was intent on taking, or had already taken away, some freedom or rights this person felt ownership for. The question might be were these protesters “Sir Lancelots” or “Don Quixotes”?
I know two people who fit this “regaining my freedom” category. Both are reasonable and responsible in most everyday aspects of life. Both are productive citizens and have been my friend for many years. Yet both suspect and fear the reach of government, especially at the Federal level. Both accept the likely validity of most conspiracy theories. And both reject the Democrat Party and especially the Party leaders.
Both of my friends view the world as too full of rules and particularly detest rules designed to get people to do what (my friends think) people should already know they should do. And both feel that if someone did not obey the rule and suffered a natural consequence, then so what, that is their problem.
Both of my friends are well educated and have worked in professions where using facts and data was critical. Yet when the President began his rants inciting the “Stop the Steal” frenzy, both of my friends accepted the President’s claims that fraud had permeated the elections in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona. The lack of evidence and the consequential rejection by the courts seemed to make no difference.
To be sure, there is a significant component of illogic in anyone’s political party identification. This is particularly true if one buys into all the political party’s or politician’s statements. From my perspective, however, the hypocrisies of politicians like Ted Cruz or Josh Hawley seem transparently false and mean spirited. They should know better.
President Trump, who for 4 years has described the world as he wished it were, not as it was, has attempted to convince his supporters he is the only purveyor of truth. My friends have every right to support who they wish including President Trump. Believing in the President, however, does not make his words factual. My friends have a further responsibility.
The strength of the American system lies in the fact that not everyone needs to think the same way. So it is important for me to remember that my friends are entitled to hold views I consider unsupported. It is also important that when the votes are counted that my friends accept the results, and work towards electing officials who think like them in the next election. My friends and others holding similar views, however, do not have license to force their views on me other than through the rule of law.
Who is Sir Lancelot and who is Don Quixote?