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MY PERSPECTIVE - I used to be a Democrat. About six years ago I made the difficult decision to leave the party before the final nails in its coffin were hammered in by angry violent socialists claiming to be fighting against “anger and violence.” It has become the party of uninformed perpetual protesters who’s idea of a conversation is hurling personal insults and posting their gotcha videos to show how committed they are to a cause they cannot articulate.
Modern Democrats who allow themselves to be conscripted to sail on this rudderless ship, will find themselves adrift in an ocean of denial and misguided empathy, a voyage that can only end one way; scuttled upon the jagged rocks of groupthink hypocritical idiocracy.
I take no pleasure in this realization. The two party system has wreaked untold havoc to free and fair elections for decades, having become a slave to corporate interests. A lockstep media has spread misinformation, covered up cheating and encouraged a disregard of decorum and individual thought.
The preponderance of aversion to first principles, logical deduction and “cherry picking free” use of science and data, reveals an alarming downward trend of national intelligence. Radical unsubstantiated theories on both sides of the isle have no room in a discussion about how to fix our breaking world.
Trigger warnings and comfort guarantees are no way to build a generation of great thinkers capable of shepherding humanity through these turbulent times. Societal course correction is most often fraught with danger and struggle. Those who are only interested in “winning the day’s argument” are not equipped to lead this desperately needed endeavor. If we are unable or unwilling to concede that there is most likely some value in at least some of the ideas “across the isle”, we will end up watching each other suffocate from inside our respective bubbles, with only ourselves to blame.
The democrats of my youth made sense to me back then. Perhaps they were better or perhaps I was just dumber, but I believe one thing to be true; they are now a party in crisis and the TIKTOK generation will not save them. On the contrary, they will most likely be the one to vanquish the Party to the discount history bin along with the Whigs, Federalists and (ironically enough) the Democrat-Republican party.
An Example of a blind spot for Democrats is Homelessness. Temporary assistance for those who are unable to support themselves is practical, humane and civil. But to permanently enable those who choose not to support themselves is a slow moving national suicide. It is not sustainable and erodes the very reasons for supporting our country in the first place. The Constitution of our democratic Republic does not and cannot allow its own destruction by the use of its own dogmatic dismantling.
The world is not a circle drawn in crayon by a five year old, but is at the least, three dimensional. Most important things in our mortal coil require thoughtful consideration and study to understand and if necessary, implement change or solutions. Though the meaning of the word “expert” has arguably been diminished in our "everyone gets a prize" modern society, we still need experts; people who are dedicated first and foremost to being correct, accurate and objective. A "self ordained" expert is not just meaningless, but dangerous. Quashing dissent based on hurt feelings or contrary views has no place here and expertise cannot be thrown out in the name of emotionally based and socially manufactured panic.
(Mark Dutton is a lifelong musician, music producer, writer, and investigative journalist. After leaving college in his third year as a psychology major, he spent three decades touring the world and creating music with top artists. A sharp political observer since childhood, Mark now focuses his passion on reforming City Hall and holding power to account. As a contributor to CityWatchLA.com, he blends cultural insight with investigative reporting to spotlight issues affecting everyday Angelenos.)
