The Dirt on Democracy

(one woman’s opinion)

We have always had a dirty democracy. Most were willing to put up with a little dirt on the roots of our our system because of the beauty of its flowers. But as time has gone by more and more dirt has been tolerated. This to me seems to echo the ever increasing greedy pursuit of obscene individual wealth and the belief that privilege equals power. Eventually this belief became reality.

We have always been a class-based society. Most tended to see the poor as dirty

and underserving. Soon those in the middle were also seen this way by those at the top.

Those at the top kept the populace’s eyes distrustingly trained on those beside them, encouraging infighting not only in the lowest levels but also in the middle. This fear was fed and fanned by ads and trends teaching us we would never be good enough unless we acquired the goods and belief systems those at the top modeled. We sold our souls.

Some of us lived well enough in our bubbles. We have even fretted about injustice while tolerating the lack of equal education and services. We felt safe. We tolerated injustice wearing t-shirts and buttons decrying its existence. Our willingness to stand up and acknowledge societal wrongs became our church. We believed our willingness to see made us saints. Worse, we were conned into making idols out of those with vast amounts of wealth whether they had talent or scruples or not. We accepted politicians who cowered under the cover of lukewarm policies. Yes, they did produce some excellent growth but they also tolerated too much shit to call it compost.

Our nation’s family laundry is now on the line. We have been schooled to not let others know that our motherland has an addiction problem. We need to molt, to cast off the trappings of inequality and the allure of privilege. Yes, we need to fight back. Yes, we need to organize. Yes, we need to hold onto hope and what is good. But perhaps first, we need to define what good is. I don’t know the best or right definition of good. All I know is that it is not simply the absence of the darkness we have now.

Cinse Bonino
2024