Consensus and The American Way
In a democratic society, one must rightly expect a patchwork of ideals, laws, and policies, for it is in the diversity of beliefs and ideas that a democracy thrives. Thus, we find that our laws and policies do not fit together like a puzzle with smooth edges and interlocking pieces, but rather more like a family photo album with newspaper clippings and photos stuck on and stuffed in between the worn pages. Nevertheless, our present society suffers under laws that not only diverge, but contradict themselves.
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Juvenile responsibility—we hold that a child can have made a responsible decision to commit a violent crime, and therefore be held accountable under the adult criminal code, but we also maintain that a child cannot make a responsible decision to have sex. |
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Safety—we believe that our society will be safer if those who wish to purchase a gun face a background check and waiting period, but once issued, in many states, the owner is free to carry the gun into a supermarket or movie theater or any public place, concealed, also in the name of increased public safety. |
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Addiction—those who become addicted to illegal drugs and are caught in possession face extensive prison sentences, while those who become addicted to nicotine face extensive monetary rewards for their injuries. |
I am arguing neither for nor against any of the above laws and positions. I am merely suggesting that one cannot logically support these contradictory arguments. We ask why our children do not learn more about their civic responsibilities. I submit that few of us could fathom the meaning of civic responsibility within a system where "legal" is more a question of who has the better lobbying group than who has the better argument.
In our increasingly fractious society, we find that it is no longer a question of whether we can learn to agree or understand one another on this or that issue; it is simply a matter of whether my voice will be stronger than yours. We do not presume to build consensus; we merely count the number of votes on either side. A civil society exists because its constituents have common interests. We—all of us—must learn to accept and even celebrate our differences, while at the same time striving to find those ways in which we can help each other—all of us—to live safer, happier, more fulfilling lives. This is a lesson not only for those politicians in federal, state, and local governments, but for we citizens who put them there—we, the people.