Clashes in Cairo Leave 12 Dead and 2 Churches in Flames - NYTimes.com: "A night of street fighting between hundreds of Muslims and Christians left at least 12 people dead and two churches in flames on Sunday in the latest outbreak of sectarian tensions in the three months since the revolution that ousted President Hosni Mubarak."
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Creating a civil society is far more difficult as recent events show. Egypt and much of the world is riven by long standing devisive hatred. In this case it's religious. In other cases it's ethnic, think Tutsi v. Hutu. Sometimes it's historical, think Cyprus. Whatever the supposed justification, it is always simply destructive of the society. Such hatreds are a fundamental cause of the poverty and systemic dysfunction in those societies.
In the United States we are largely spared this curse. But we are not completely free of it. Consider these recent news items:
But systemic divisiveness goes beyond such patently offensive behavior. Indeed, Common Sense thinks that much of the heated and distorted political rhetoric is simply a reflection of divisiveness. It's about us versus them. The left versus the right. It's about victory over the others.
But we, all of us, are the others. No matter how often our side or your side wins, we all live in the United States. It's time, long since past time, that all Americans grew up and recognized that we succeed or fail as a nation not as Republicans or Democrats. It's time to understand that politics is about what's good for the governed, all the governed, not just the wealthy or business.
Rodney King said it well, "Can't we all just get along." That's just common sense.
- Mobs set Cairo churches on fire amidst Muslim-Christian clashes, 190 arrested
- Sectarian Clash In Egypt Leads To Multiple Deaths
- Egypt sectarian deaths slammed amid civil war fear
Creating a civil society is far more difficult as recent events show. Egypt and much of the world is riven by long standing devisive hatred. In this case it's religious. In other cases it's ethnic, think Tutsi v. Hutu. Sometimes it's historical, think Cyprus. Whatever the supposed justification, it is always simply destructive of the society. Such hatreds are a fundamental cause of the poverty and systemic dysfunction in those societies.
In the United States we are largely spared this curse. But we are not completely free of it. Consider these recent news items:
- Muslim group: two imams pulled from plane bound for North Carolina
- 'I heard about your uncle': Texas teacher suspended for mocking Muslim girl over Bin Laden
But systemic divisiveness goes beyond such patently offensive behavior. Indeed, Common Sense thinks that much of the heated and distorted political rhetoric is simply a reflection of divisiveness. It's about us versus them. The left versus the right. It's about victory over the others.
But we, all of us, are the others. No matter how often our side or your side wins, we all live in the United States. It's time, long since past time, that all Americans grew up and recognized that we succeed or fail as a nation not as Republicans or Democrats. It's time to understand that politics is about what's good for the governed, all the governed, not just the wealthy or business.
Rodney King said it well, "Can't we all just get along." That's just common sense.
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