Step Away From The 'Hot Take' And Make A Difference

We live in a world of "hot takes." Everyone has an opinion and thanks to technology it's easy to share it with the world. We've convinced ourselves that gifting the world with our thoughts is somehow morally comparable to doing the hard, real work involved in changing the world.

Things have been headed in the wrong direction in the United States for a long time and it's been easy for those of those of us without real political power to stick to posting a lot on Tumblr and throwing a few dollars to our favorite candidate. Somehow we convinced ourselves that talking about a problem was the moral equivalent of acting to solve it. It's easy to wax poetically about the bravery of Vietnam War-era protesters or proclaim that gun rights need to be protected to prevent tyranny. It's much more difficult to take a day off of work to stand up for what you believe in or risk arrest in order to take a moral stand.

Whether you're a Conservative or Liberal, it's likely that you've grown increasingly dispirited about the state of politics and what passes for political discourse in America. Both parties have gotten very good at triangulating their platforms to fit the latest polls. The Beltway is swimming with strategists who make money no matter which party is in charge. The national media isn't just friends with the ruling class. Their livelihood is dependent on access and information. There's no upside to being a contrarian and even if you do try, writing a few cutting columns for the Washington Post or the National Review doesn't change anything. It all ends up just being more noise, just one more hot take to be shared with all of your like-minded friends on Twitter.

The events in Chicago on Friday might have been unsettling to watch, but they were also sadly predictable in today's political world. A riot is what you get when you mix an egotistical candidate who seems to have never been told "No" with a bunch of protesters who were encouraged to show up at a political rally and disrupt the event. Passions are already at a dangerous point and all that either side can see is the chance to make a political point and maybe expand their influence just a bit. It's the attitude that led Democrats to secretly root for Donald Trump because they believed it would help their party. It's the attitude that led many Republicans to support Trump because they wanted to damage Ted Cruz or destroy the party they believe is headed in the wrong direction. It's the soulless political cynicism that has helped lead us to this point.

This isn't a Republican and Democratic thing. This isn't simply a problem limited to the Conservative or Liberal wings of our political system. This is a problem that cuts across those vaguely defined categories. These next six months are going to define the future of the United States for a generation. So when it's all over, what will you have done to make things a bit better?

Chaos and upheaval serve the purposes of the rich and powerful. The candidacy of Donald Trump is the perfect "bread-and-circuses' event in an era where worries about economic disparity are a top priority for voters of all political stripes. Giving the biggest blowhard in America a national platform is the ultimate distraction away from the things that really matter. The powers that be aren't worried about Donald Trump. They're worried about being held accountable, about being forced to give up even a little bit of their stranglehold on our economy and political class. We're being played by in a way that George Orwell would have found completely unbelievable.

There's been a lot of talk in the past 48 hours of the need to stand up to Donald Trump. Groups on the Left are already planning protests guaranteed to change nothing. But we'll all feel good about doing something, even if it's a self-serving plan that doesn't require any real courage. Groups on the Right are flailing around with their own plans, many of which seem to revolve around the idea that even if Donald Trump is the GOP candidate, the real focus should remain on retaining control of the House and Senate. All sides seem determined to follow their own self interests until the very end.

It might seem like there's nothing to be done and that we're destined to flail through the year tottering on the edge of rioting and political upheaval. It's the age-old question that asks what can one man or woman do in the face of such overwhelming influence and power?

The Butterfly Effect states that the actions of even one butterfly can impact the world. Small actions have ripple effects that can spread, especially among good people who believe in the inherent strength and wisdom of our Founding Fathers and our country. This is not the time for hot takes or pointless political talking points. This is the time to quietly stand up for the country we know we deserve.

I'm not part of any movement and I certainly don't have the ability to influence anyone. But instead of protests, I'd like to see Donald Trump confronted with the one thing he can't abide. Contempt. Deny him the attention he so obviously craves and he will first strike out and then collapse.

Disrupting his rallies with shouting and protests only play into his narrative. Instead of protest signs, simply show up at his rallies and silently turn your back on him when he begins to speak. If someone yells at you, ignore them. Let them yell whatever they want, don't react if you're provoked from the stage. Let them peacefully lead you out of the rally and let your actions inspire ten people to take your place at the next event. A quiet, non-violent response undercuts all of the arguments about violent protests or political provocateurs. This is the way to simply say "We Deserve Better."

We shouldn't let the Democrats off more than the Republicans. While Trump is arguably the most immediate danger to the country, the rest of current field of candidates all have their own problems and we can face those as well.

America doesn't need a strongman in charge or a President who seems to consider the politics of any decision above the ethics and morality of the issue. We deserve better. And it's time we put on our big boy pants and fought for it.