As America attempts to come to terms with health-care reform, the national debt, immigration reform, climate change and the epidemic of gun violence, the fault lines that threaten a more perfect union are becoming pretty darn obvious. They run along cultural divides, geographic borders, philosophical differences, personal attitudes and partisan boundaries.
Here’s the way I see the Great American Fault Lines running, sometimes as broad chasms that separate the radical few from the moderate many, but mostly as hairline fractures that may eventually develop into social disintegration if we don’t find a way of mending them.
Democrat/Republican.
Blue/Red.
Black/White.
Brown/White.
Yellow/White.
Green/White.
Left/Right.
Right/Wrong.
Pro/Con.
Yes/No.
More/Less.
Friend/Foe.
North/South.
East/West.
Coast/Interior.
Public/Private.
Many/Few.
Community/Self.
Social/Anti-social.
Common Good/Personal Gain.
Generosity/Selfishness.
Collaboration/Competition.
Revenue/Expenses.
Assistance/Welfare.
Flexible/Inflexible.
Compromise/Combat.
Consensus/Confrontation.
Solutions/Victories.
Individuals/Corporations.
Diversity/Uniformity
Inclusive/Exclusive.
Together/Separate.
Female/Male.
Young/Old.
Now/Then.
NY/NH.
Progress/Regress.
Progressive/Conservative.
Gender equity/Male chauvinism.
Equal opportunity/Old boys.
Multicultural/Xenophobic.
LGBT/Homophobic.
Open/Closed.
Democracy/Dogma.
Pro-choice/Pro-life.
Poor/Rich.
Labor/Management.
Workers/Investors.
Environment/Economy.
People/Profits.
People/Property.
Sustainability/Profitability.
Conservation/Exploitation.
Local/Global.
ALEC/Agenda 21.
International/National.
Patriotism/Nationalism.
Complex/Simple.
Rational/Irrational.
Evolution/Creationism.
Science/Religion.
Ecumenical/Parochial.
Causes/Symptoms.
Affirmation/Denial.
Michelle O./Michele B.
NY Times/NY Post.
Wash. Post/Wash. Times.
MSNBC/Fox.
Matthews/Limbaugh.
MoveOn/Tea Party.
NPR/NRA.
Huffington/Drudge.
Soccer/Wrestling.
Real/Phony.
Rock/Country.
Soros/Koch.
Sanders/Paul.
Biden/Ryan.
MLK/Ayn Rand
Peace/War.
Love/Hate.
Hope/Fear.
Freedom/License.
Rights/Privileges.
Fair/Foul.
Reform/Punish.
Compassion/Condemnation.
Right/Might.
Tax/Spend.
Surplus/Deficit.
Chomsky/Norquist.
Doves/Hawks.
Frog/Toad.*
Clooney/Eastwood.
Marr/Miller.
Springsteen/Nugent.
Preppies/Preppers.
True/False.
Fact/Fiction.
Laws/Guns.
Gun control/Gun controlled.
Open arms/Concealed carry.
Future/Past.
Life/Death.
*Frog/Toad included to see if you were paying attention.
Sidebar Elements
Freelance journalist Edgar Allen Beem lives in Yarmouth. The Universal Notebook is his personal, weekly look at the world around him.
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