The Politicization of American Life

You can no longer attend a pro football game, a Broadway play, a grade school function or even dine at your favorite restaurant without being assaulted by politics.  Television, social media and the news bombard Americans with political ideology.  There is no escaping the intrusion into our lives.

This is not a new development ushered in by President Trump as liberals claim.  It began decades ago and has reached a nadir in the last few years. The invasion of America's heart and soul has its genesis in the Cultural Wars.  It has metastasized into a cancerous incursion that is divisive and insidious.

Here are the three dynamics that are churning the political froth that pits American-against-American:

Cultural Wars

For decades, Americans have been battling over cultural issues ranging from abortion to the sanctioning of gay marriages to transgender bathrooms.  What has fueled much of the debate has been the way in which most of these factious matters have been settled.  In many cases, courts comprised of a handful of judges have decided the questions instead of the people.  Even when Americans have expressed their will on ballot issues, unelected judges have overruled the people. The result is many Americans feel frustrated that a minority of black robed-jurists are deciding some of the nation's most controversial and contentious topics.  Most of the questions are matters of religion for a majority of Americans.  But religious rights have been trampled by a judiciary which views anything Godly as inherently unconstitutional. The framers of the Constitution never intended for America to be free from religion.  Their goal was freedom of religious expression. Often those with religious viewpoints on cultural issues are mocked, eroding civil discourse.

Political Consumerism

There was a time when your choice of food or restaurants was not a political statement.  But that too has changed.  When the head of fast-food chicken restaurant expressed his social views, all hell broke loose. Diners began boycotting the franchise.  No one has yet explained what eating chicken has to do with a person's views on same sex marriage.  In years past, businesses never entered the political minefield for fear of alienating some segment of its customers.  Today every business seems bent on scoring a political point particularly if it agrees with the liberal dogma. It is not just Mom-and-Pop businesses either. Fortune 500 companies are engaging in very public political fights.  That would have been considered corporate suicide decades ago.  Beyond intramural politics, businesses are rushing to showcase their social conscience as a way of luring customers and burnishing their brand. Big firms believe if they support climate change or unisex-bathrooms or Planned Parenthood, it will translate into more profits. This has forever altered the relationship between consumers and businesses and further divides the country.

Politics as Religion

Republicans and Democrats are baptizing Americans with zealotry that rivals religion.  If you doubt this, consider research that shows liberals prefer their friends to be of like mind, as do conservatives. They want their sons and daughters to marry into a political view shared by their family. Decades ago, Americans were more concerned about their offspring marrying into the same religion.  For more and more Americans, politics has become their religion.  They define themselves by their political causes and not by their religious beliefs. They worship celebrities, athletes and actors who share their stances on the issues of the day. They get their moral cues from social media.  This secular worldview has transformed politics into a pitched battle for the soul.  That accounts for much of the acrimony.

As a result of the phenomenas outlined above, America has become polarized and politicized like never before.  Americans need to take stock and show the world there is something of more lasting value than politics.  Inserting God back into American life will restore balance and promote unity.