This road should not lead to Rome

By JURRIAAN KAMP and NANCY REED MCGRATH

Misguided mobs have attacked parliaments before. Such mobs have brought down democracies and introduced dictatorships. When we talk about the Roman civilization today, we mostly remember  Caesar and other emperors. These dictators came to power after the world’s first experiment in democracy—the Roman Republic, that protected the common interests of all its male, non-slave citizens—had succumbed to violent masses. After first instigating massive unrest, Julius Caesar grabbed power to restore ‘order’. His empire served the interests of a few. Democracy became plutocracy. It is a scenario that Donald Trump would have liked to copy. Fortunately, he failed. But we need to be vigilant to protect democracy and the rule of law: Throughout history, many other autocrats have succeeded. 

Many people think that politics is about different perspectives and policies. Traditionally, in democracies, parties offer their different programs and voters make their choices. Voters think they are choosing for a Republican health care policy or for a Democrat housing plan. That they are making a choice for higher or lower taxes, or between funding or defunding the police. Or that they are choosing for liberal or conservative judges. Or between freedom and “socialism”. Choices are presented as black and white oppositional politics.

What most forget today is that, in a healthy democracy, different perspectives come together and lead to solutions in the interest of most people. The current reality in America is different. As we have witnessed in the past years of dysfunctional politics in Washington, D.C.—with the same dysfunction echoed through different media networks—, all these choices do not matter. There is no practical choice in a situation where if one party says “A”, the other party automatically and without any consideration says “B”. 

Democrats may hope that their newly gained majority will enable them to implement their policies. That seems a reasonable outcome of the elections. But it is not productive when the very system of democracy is under threat. If recent history is any guide, the new Democratic majority will only further frustrate the—temporary—Republican minority that will wait for the first opportunity to flip the situation and the policies, and the senseless play with no outcome continues. We have plenty of evidence for that. When politics becomes a brutal fight between opposites, society loses, and democracy breaks down.

America faces nationwide what the whole world faces on a global scale. All nations need to come together to reverse global warming because climate change impacts everyone. There is no Chinese climate policy that is better than a German or an Italian one. The only successful policy that will help us all is a joint global policy. Similarly, America needs to come together in order to accomplish anything in the interest of all Americans. The only alternative is a lost democracy and a broken society that cannot serve anyone.

All ancient religions and traditions have, in some way or another, tried to put universal, eternal, human values into words. The “Golden Rule” dates back to the times of Confucius and the Buddha. Christianity has the “Ten Commandments”. Other faiths use different books and different words, but the message is universal: The texts describe the fundamental values we share: compassion, care and love for each other and everyone.

These eternal values are at stake today. It is not even a true choice because there is no alternative for us if we are to live together. As viruses and hurricanes keep reminding us, we need each other. So, we have to let go of the idea that elections are about different political perspectives with one side as the winner and the other side as the loser. Of course, we should always strive to be open-minded about other people’s ideas. However, our current conversation is not about a respectful disagreement about different political ideas. 

We need to go back to where our ancestors once started when they framed our universal values. We need to realize that we all try to live up to the same values. Yes, we all fail from time to time. In these moments we need the acts of contrition and forgiveness to make whole and repair what was broken.

There is no future for a society where our common values are trashed on a daily basis. There is no future in a world of hate, fear, and division. This is a critical moment to go back to what we share, to what makes us human. We need to make a big effort to understand one another.

Therefore: Forget the “better policies” of your favorite political party. They will not be able to implement these policies in a dysfunctional political environment. However, there are representatives everywhere who answer the call of politics to first serve their communities—and not the directives of their parties. These representatives know that today’s politics is not working anymore, and they know that the only way forward is finding common ground “across the aisle”.

These representatives deserve your support. They are our only hope for America’s future. They offer the only way towards a better country for everyone. Those representatives will be able to design policies that can be supported not just by narrow majorities but by large sections of society. There is a health care policy that is good for a vast majority of Americans. It is simple: Being ill is a challenge that is much the same for all of us. When our health is threatened, we have the same needs. There also is a police policy that provides an appropriate response to a situation that causes tremendous pain to all of us. Again: Everyone wants to live in a safe community where human dignity is respected and supported. All of us have the same needs.

There are representatives who can address our common needs even in today’s chaotic political reality. They may be Republicans, they may be Democrats, but they are Americans, even global citizens, first. We need to elect and support people who will work for all Americans so that we can create an America that works for all.

Our joint future depends on these representatives—from the local council all the way up to the White House. Your support for them will change your community, your country, and the world. At some point, politics is no longer about a choice for one against the other; it is about compassion, love and understanding for all. Democracy can only survive when it is based on shared values. The United States was founded on the principle that there would be opportunities for “life, liberty and pursuit of happiness” for all. That is what is at stake today. It is a critical challenge: We cannot allow the mob to win. This road should not lead to Rome.

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