Salem

Recall the witch trials of Salem, Massachusetts. To me this represents a natural inclination within us to eschew that which is different. For group-think to take over. When people are not like us, they become less human. With the loss of their perceived humanity then follows our loss of empathy for them. And yet civilization continues its march. Civilization has required of us extraordinary concessions. Each concession comes as an attempt to allow one to live with the implicit compact that we will be allowed to do the same. The very nature of this compact is that civilization forces us to get to know each other more and more until ultimately the witch is accepted as our next door neighbor.

This is the lens with which I look back to the legacy of slavery and the Jim Crow era. It is by no chance that the developed world has ended slavery just as we have made huge reforms in other areas such as gender-biases, freedom of religion and place of origin.

Which brings me to my point...

The Republicans built their modern-day alignment based on a reaction to the 1960s civil rights movement. It seeked to gain from the fears of "otherness" for electoral gain. Unfortunately, whether by commission or omission, this sentiment remains deeply entrenched in party today. It is no accident that most minorities in this country are Democrats.

And yet I hate this. I hate that my only choice is to either vote Democrat or to vote against my own self-dignity. I wish there was true choice and healthy competition out there in this regard.

But there is hope. It lies in the Republican's shrinking base. As the electorate becomes more composed of the young, which are more knowledged and accepting of differences and minorities, the Republicans will be forced to change. I welcome and look forward to this day. Even now, every few days I peruse Republican Internet sites in search of signs of change. Fortunately there is some chatter on this topic, not yet enough to trigger the change that is needed and ultimately unavoidable. Eventually, we realize that they're not witches. And even if they are... so what.

Postscript: Although I've phrased this as primarily about race, it really about "otherness", which include sexual orientation and other religions. Someday, when the party is less-based upon whom they hate and/or disregard, the Republican party will serve this country better.