The Insanity of Sanity

One of the most interesting aspects of studying Sociology in a very liberal environment is the difference of opinions even amongst those who claim to be “liberal.”  The essence liberalism is the ability to adapt to a changing society and to adapt policy as such.  This does not simply mean that a “conservative” is exactly the opposite in that the essence would be a strict application of laws and policy across the board.  However, this is exactly how most arguments are started between the “liberal left” and the “uptight right.”

Rather than viewing political views on a straight line; where conservatives are on one end, and the liberals are on the exact opposite;  you should try to view the varying political views as a circle.  Little do we all know how closely related the conservatives are to the liberals, but the reality is exactly that.  The reason we can make this assertion is the simple truth that both political views have a very similar if not identical end result in mind; prosperity.  How can two opposing views with the same goal be considered complete opposites?  They can’t.  Period.

Anyways, let’s get back to the interesting points of views that I started this on.  Within the liberal society, you can accurately divide the group into two individual circles, with slight overlay of course (nothing is black and white, there will always be a gray area).  The one circle is constructed by the Utopians while the others are the Realists.  The Utopians have a view of a (blank) society – any guesses as to the word?  Utopian society.  Their ideas are primarily that of eliminating racial and sexual bias, centralized health care and fair and free education for anyone who wants it.  The Realists have pondered these ideas, and have come to a (blank) – any guesses on the word? Realization.  The world will never be completely rid of racial and sexual bias, so we must enact realistic policy that can best address this.

After hearing the two sides duke it out, and rather aggressively at times, I firmly believe that there is more animosity between these two sides than between the “left” and “right.”  For example, currently the news is hot on the Iraq War budget which is nearing $500 Billion.  People have come out and tried to put this into perspective and lined out exactly what you could buy with $500 Billion.  I’m sure the numbers are ridiculous and one could buy a 3 bedroom house for every person in this country and put a 7 passenger hybrid in all of their parking lots as well as full college scholarships for up to 2.5 children per household.

If you step outside of these gaudy numbers,  and look through the lens of a Utopian, you will likely see a scary reality.

$500 Billion is more than enough money to modernize every single school in this country.  Children would no longer need to sit in dilapidated classrooms with outdated books and unmotivated teachers.  Children from all neighborhoods could receive a safe and equal education.  Whether or not they use that education to become doctors and lawyers is completely up to them, but studies have shown that kids who go to nicer schools, tend to get better jobs and live overall happier lives.

So why is all the outrage focused on how much money we are spending on this war, and why is the outrage not focused on how much money we have taken from developing our own country?  Our leader speaks of bringing democracy to Iraq and building new, safe schools for the children to learn in.  But why does our leader not speak of bringing equality to his own country?  Why does our leader not speak of building new, safe schools for our own children to learn it.  The last time our fearless leader spoke to us about our education system he proposed one of the most outrageous acts of government policy to date.  Our leader did nothing to strengthen our current system, instead he attempted to create a completely irresponsible process by which Catholic Schools could get more students and more money and where public schools would lose students and likely lose funding.

The pure essence of this country is the “escape of persecution” and the freedom to lead one’s own life without fear.  Yet, this leader who has spent $500 Billion  to “liberate” a country that sits on one of the world’s largest petroleum respositories , and has effectively ignored his own people.  This country was built by immigrants and on the backs of immigrants, however unjust and brutal it may have been.  Yet, this leader has proposed the atrocious idea of building a wall to “protect our borders” much like the Chinese did to slow the invasion of the Mongols nearly 1,500 years ago.  This country has put out advertisements of the “American Dream” and drawn the world’s brightest into it’s grasp.  Yet, this leader has done everything he can to segregate this country from the rest of the world and has done his best to destroy the image of this country; which wasn’t atop the polls to begin with.

But we curse those radical leftists who speak out against our leader during a time of war; and whose war is this?  All signs say that the “war” we fight in Iraq is a civil war that was created by the absence of a governing body.  And this wouldn’t be the first time war broke out when the government broke down either. Yet, we laugh at the Utopians when they speak of the schools and the children we can save.  We tell them to be “realistic” and stop being so childish.  Who is the real child here?

Sadly, we have nobody to blame but ourselves.  This is our country and our responsibility.  Sure, you can tell me that one person cannot have any significant impact; and I may agree with you.  But there is nothing stopping us from speaking up and speaking out.  It is our right to do exactly that, despite what many say.   Some may even say that the elections are bought and sold on the campaign trail and by enormous corporate support, and I may agree with you.  But there is nothing stopping us from speaking up and speaking out against these companies.  In the end, it is they who need us.  It is they who need us to buy their gasoline, their lamps, their couches and their automobiles.  It is they who need us to give them money to invest, to save and to spend.  If this country really felt a change was necessary, then this country would do what they had to do to ensure that change.

But then again, maybe we already are moving in that direction.  I say, what good does it do to move away from one clearly wrong path, if only to move into another?  I sure hope that those who can influence policy, do.  And those who have a voice, speak out.  I know that I won’t stop talking about these things with friends and family.  I know that I won’t stop reading and educating myself on current events, and educating others in turn.  I just hope that I can change one person, and in turn watch that person affect another.  In time, true change will be made.  In time, this country will see another revolution from within it’s own borders.  It is inevitable.  And this is not a threat, this is just reality, from the point of view of a Utopian.   Or am I a realist?