Module 5

 The debate was incredibly entertaining and quite humorous. I believe that humor with awareness is a healthy response to what is happening. The moderator had very little influence over the course of the debate and it ended up being an argument between the two parties as represented by President Trump and former Vice President Biden. I think the debate was a testament to the smoke and mirrors tactics of both sides and the clear divisiveness of the current political system. It felt like a large combination of fear mongering, finger pointing, and rampant denial on both sides with very little substance. Neither seemed to open to reveal their flaws or errors in thought or being. Biden represents the left and makes the claim that he is for racial equality and spoke about being a proponent of that and pointed the finger at trump yet his crime bill was incredibly damaging to people of color and reportedly his statement calling black people who committed crimes "super predators" in the past, is true. It would be one thing if he made a statement to admit his error and amend his viewpoint but no such statement was made to my knowledge. Trump on the other end, garner's a great deal of support from bonafide racist organizations and people and completely negates the valid frustrations and conversations around ethnicity in our country and the systemic issues that are a reality for many. He pushed an incredibly divisive and downright racist rhetoric and also enforced a lot of racist policies that have torn families apart quire literally yet he doesn't admit to it. There are clear signs of neglect on the part of the extreme right that aren't willing to employ enough understanding and take enough responsibility for the systemic problems that people of color face but on the side of the left, it's really felt like an "us against them" rhetoric that is being pushed pretty hard but people who have also been a part of the "them". It isn't okay on either end and this polarity/dualistic way of being and thinking is running its course. What I will say is not to be fooled by this scene. It seems as though they are funneling us into an arena where we must pick a side and accept an outdated and quite problematic program. The whole debate was not about race and ethnicity and there were other points of discussion that could be brought into this but that particular part felt like a pretty clear representation of the hypocrisy present on both sides. I am calling on every person to use their discernment in distinguishing what is true and coming from a place of integrity. Just because the messenger is telling you about a dark agenda doesn't mean that they don't have one of their own. And in the case of this debate, just because each side was so apt to tell you about the other flaws and inadequacies does not mean that they don't have many of their own. They are just attempting to hide their own by pointing out the other's. It's up to each person to go inside and see for themselves what is true. That is our right and our freedom.

A faction is a small dissenting group within a larger group. Factions can place a dangerous role within democracy because dependent on what that faction is pushing forward, it could create a certain level of instability and difficulty making progress especially because it could be difficult to come to a united choice about what we as a country and democracy should do. On the other hand, Martin Luther and the protestant movement, to me would have been considered a faction within Christianity that deviated from the catholic system before having officially become protestantism. While that would be considered a faction, and at the time was considered dangerous by the Catholic church, it liberated a lot of people from the religious persecution and control that was being pushed by the powers that be. This though, was not for the purposes of usurping power but for the sake of reclaiming each individuals own power of religious freedom. In the case of democracy, it can be dangerous at times and the protections set in place were by the country are built by the general structure of states, an example being the republic of states and that one states cannot garner too much power of influence without the other becoming awareness and that because the power of the country is generated by the various combining efforts of the state, no one state or "faction" could garner it all for their selves. I think beyond the candidates, the parties have been factions of the American political system for quite some time and their quest for power and control, under the guise of their agendas, have just become normalized.

Reference Article:

https://www.history.com/news/founding-fathers-political-parties-opinion

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