Dave Devereaux Examines America’s Anger Issue

Reel Urban Opinion

By Dave Devereaux

Why are people so mad these days? They’re mad about everything and there appears to be no clear-cut explanation for it. If it’s not vaccine safety, it’s Biden’s infrastructure bill that has polarized even people on the same side. To best describe the current state of America would be to say we are suffering from an “influx” of anger, defiance, ideals and opinions. None of which matters to the person sitting or standing next to us. However, we have come to a point where we feel that our opinions are the ones that everybody must agree to. 

Of course, most rational people realize this is not even remotely possible. The harsh reality however is they have a choice to play roulette with their health in response to vaccine safety. The problem is the unvaccinated circulate among the general public, exposing those who may not be able to be vaccinated for health reasons due to the possibility of illness or even death. Science proves that a vaccinated person is far less dangerous to those who cannot receive life-saving vaccines. The arguments against vaccination that some present are best described as personal. 

Basketball player Kyrie Irving is a good example of that. He is yet to give a rational reason for being obstinate about the rules the NBA has established to maintain a safe sporting experience. I’m not sure his reputation as a role model will be repaired after this, as fans will look at him as not being a team player. I wonder if most of these people do this for the attention they receive. He should be satisfied with being recognized as one of the best basketball players in the league. But he persists in his belief as if nobody is directly affected by his selfish reasons. I have no problem with a person exercising their rights, but when it affects others, there has to be a line drawn in the sand. 

We see displaced anger with those who demonstrate road rage and a willingness to act out in public like a hooligan. They don’t even respect the fact that their kids may be witnessing their behavior. Again, the full display of their emotions without restraint or decorum in public is abhorrent. When did merely passing someone on the road become an assault or disrespect? We see in the news almost daily some interaction between motorists that demonstrates a loss of mental control and total disregard for fellow humans. Animals get more respect than humans give each other. 

Also, the unfortunate power that the internet has on the young does not lend itself to supporting an argument of poor behavior since that’s pretty much what gets you likes on social media. Cell phones have become our way of documenting and proving how ridiculous some of this is. It must always be remembered that kindness and respect will go a lot further and last a lot longer than the opposite. 

America is still healing from the damage created by the last administration, but in all fairness, I’m not so sure this administration has done much to change that either. Constant bickering among Democrats has given the other side ammunition to argue that they are not much better. Washington is so fractured today, they cannot see the issues that need immediate attention such as women’s rights, police reform as well as immigration reform. 

Some of the same issues that took place four years ago such as a constant assault on abortion rights and police brutality have continued to make headlines. Texas and Mississippi are threatening all the work and legislation that has protected Roe vs. Wade for the past 48 years. There have been no positive moves toward police reform other than talk. There has been no discussion of immigration reform despite the large numbers of migrants still attempting to come to the United States illegally. 

The Supreme Court shut down the question of whether police should continue to receive qualified immunity by ruling it to remain. Their stance was to side with police officers who had been sued for civil rights violations, ruling that these officers were entitled to qualified immunity because there are no precedents before addressing such behavior. This ruling alone is a wake-up call to all, that the Supreme Court is unwilling to act beyond the scope of the “good ole days.” 

It’s a sad commentary on American justice. The past administration accomplished a stopgap measure of the Supreme Court, ensuring that many of the laws conservatives wish to address are easily attacked. The threat is real and happening today. 

It seems that all the positive affirmations and offers of prayer fall on deaf ears. People are still very divided. The only explanation is the past administration made it okay to hate and express that hate openly and without fear of any legal recourse. When congressmen and senators call each other names and disparage ethnicities and cultures, but are revered by their constituents, it is apparent that America has not established any semblance of equality. 

Black people feel that no race likes them. American Indians are left out of most discussions, when in fact they were the first to receive vile hatred from the white man. Hispanics are not recognized for their accomplishments and yet can be quick to separate themselves from other ethnicities suffering discrimination. 

The overarching question is, how long can we persist like this before reaching a breaking point? America is no longer that shining example of democracy that the world once revered. We are a fractured nation that must come to some harsh and often uncomfortable terms to truly move forward. After Trump, America was looked at as a mockery of hypocritical ideals that are out of touch with today’s reality. We have no right to condemn the actions of China, North Korea, or even Russia without looking at our past as an example of how hatred and fear can guide you to commit horrible acts of human rights violations, e.g. Japanese internment camps, slavery and racism, the genocide of Native Americans. We must address the past first before making recommendations for others to fix themselves. Overall, we have to get over being so angry and start talking to work through these issues at home. There remains a belief that America is still a great place, the only thing is all people are not experiencing such greatness now. We have a lot of work to do. Anger only holds back the positive flow of energy that is needed to bring about change.