Robert Anderson

Anger and polarization in America today are not normal and not healthy. Their causes, why they’re bad and how to depolarize are the subjects of this op-ed.

According to Better Angels, a nonprofit dedicated to depolarization, political and religious polarization have reached its worst level since the Civil War, especially since 2016. There are now two Americas, angry with each other.

Conservatives think liberals are stupid and un-American. Liberals think conservatives are evil and greedy. Charles Duhigg in Real Roots of American Anger (The Atlantic-February 2019) reports in 2012 fewer than 50% of voters said they were deeply angry at the other side’s presidential candidate.

But four years later in 2016, those deeply angry at the other side jumped to 70%. Now there are two tribes, two bubbles, two echo chambers in the U.S. and they’re not listening to each other. America is disuniting. Personal attacks have replaced honest dialogue. This rancorous divide threatens our Democracy and it’s a trend we must reverse.

Lately, anger seems to have consumed American politics, religion, and even families. On a daily basis, we have heard a White House issue angry tweets-vilifying everyone. The loud voices of anger dominated the confirmation hearing of Justice Brett Kavanaugh and they dominated the impeachment proceedings of President Trump.

Many of the Christian faith have joined in rancorous divisiveness. In December 2019, an editorial by Christianity Today, a conservative evangelical publication started by the Rev. Billy Graham, called for the impeachment of President Trump because of “his blackened moral record” and “his divisiveness.”

The editorial asks fellow evangelicals to, “Consider how your justification of Mr. Trump influences your witness to your Lord and Savior.” This editorial led to a maelstrom of controversy with evangelicals, as 200 evangelical leaders wrote a protest to Christianity Today.

And we have watched the effects of angry rhetoric in recent years: The FBI reports annual rises in hate crimes against Jews, Muslims, blacks and Hispanics, pipe bombs mailed to prominent politicians, the wounding of a Congressman at a ballfield, mass killing of nine during a Bible study at a Black church in Charleston, South Carolina; a mass killing of 11 in Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life synagogue; and a mass killing of 22 targeting Hispanics at an El Paso, Texas Walmart.

According to Better Angels, nothing good comes from polarization. It produces political gridlock, degrades public discussion, undermines trust and prevents compromise and common ground. Resolution of our big domestic issues, like climate change, abortion, gun control and immigration continue to escape us.

The extremes of these debates dominate, preventing the practical views of the majority from creating lasting compromises. Isn’t it time that we all say “enough is enough”? Do we really want to see another four years of constant daily anxiety and hate speech? Isn’t it time to depolarize?

So, what has caused all this anger and depolarization? According to author Arlie Hochschild in a New York Times bestseller, “Strangers in Their Own Land,” one source of anger among rural whites is the feeling that they have been left behind by big city and suburban elites. They feel that they have become strangers in their own land.

These feelings are real, but, according to Charles Duhigg, they have been stoked by the “anger merchants” of cable news, social media, Twitter, politicians and talk shows who make millions of dollars to keep Americans at the highest state of hate for each.

Anger merchants, often funded by anonymous corporate PACs, maximize revenue by manufacturing mock anger among listeners. We have become brainwashed by the exciting waters of hate.

Are there any solutions? Yes, Better Angels sets up red/blue workshops to depolarize. The words “better angels” comes from President Lincoln’s 1861 inaugural address. Lincoln asked Americans to listen to “the better angels of our nature” and pleaded, “We are not enemies, but friends.” We must not be enemies. The Catholic Church has developed a Civilize It-Dignity Beyond the Debate campaign for 2020 offering materials to parishes for civil dialogue. Civilize It calls on Christians to honor the human dignity of each person they encounter (Civilizeit.org).

Finally, we also need to examine our own role in polarization. Will we stop listening to the fear mongering of cable news? Will we reject candidates who use fear to excite their base? Are you part of their base? Will you commit to vote for moderate candidates who will unite rather than divide? It is up to you.

Editor’s note: Robert Anderson is an elder law attorney who practices in Marquette.