As a young American citizen and voter-to-be, partisanship and factionalism make me uneasy about the future of democracy within our country. On the night of the presidential election, I tuned into the radio to listen to the votes as they came in. One of the hosts (in charge of music for an intermission during the program) sardonically expressed the “(hope) that we don’t become a fascist dictatorship,” as well as concerns about the wealthy “(buying) the election.” It brought me to wonder: If we as a nation lose faith in our government, what is there to prevent the people from destroying it?
As demonstrated by the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, if a group of individuals — from any party or of any affiliation, for that matter — is so thoroughly displeased by a political proceeding, the ability to inflame public opinion and incite sedition seems much more streamlined than ever before. The “sphere” as referenced by James Madison has effectively been reduced in size and diversity of opinion. Thus, I implore the public to take things with a grain of salt and search for their own varied sources beyond what is most readily available as bite-sized fearmongering.
