What is Right?

In the wake of the shooting in Pittsburgh over the weekend and the threats sent to known Democrat leaders; fear, anger, and blaming has driven a greater divide between the two parties. The two parties use of what is <right> is all a matter of which “side” is persuading people more in media. Taking this fundamental stance on what is right in terms of Ideographic Criticism developed by Michael McGee, we can take the word <right> as an ideograph to dissect divide in the country today.

That word, <right>, is defined as morally good, justified, or acceptable; but it is also stated as true or correct as a fact. The ideograph is addressing the two parties’ own views and stating them as facts in the light of media and the American people. While the term holds a meaning of truth and correctness, to a lot of people it means a million things and ideas. So is anything really, truly <right>? Can anyone have the <right> stance on life? Sure there are moral rights and wrongs that are universal, like murder being immoral around the world, but crime is being tested recently in the political landscape. Stories taken true on Fox News or CNN. Threats sent to either party. Hate sent through bullets. Where has the <right> thing gone, if it has ever been here? If any it is lost in the news and speeches political leaders are driving into the minds of voters for the midterm elections.

From Donald Trump’s tweets about ‘Crooked Hilary’ and ‘Crazy Joe Biden’ to Maxine Waters’ call for mob mentality against Republican leaders in public places, they both fight for what they believe is <right>. In the video of Maxine Waters talking about liberals making conservatives leave restaurants, she says “God is on our side, on the side of the children, and on the side of what’s <right>.” But what’s makes her side the <right> side? Nothing really, just her beliefs turned into “true or correct as a fact” for others in her party to latch onto. The same thing happens with the Republicans, Trump’s constant fight with fake news is plastered on his Twitter for the world to read. He believes that they are out to make him look bad, stating quotes that are apparently false. Making his tweets a “real” source of acceptable, justified truth, unlike other news sources.

While the two sides argue, in speeches, in the world Americans live in – being a Trump supporter is wrong and a Hilary supporter or Democrat is <right> and vice versa. The ideograph <right> has been changing for a long time, but not until now has hate replaced it. It is <right> to think differently than others, but now it is <right> to attack others for their ideas. Not with bullets. Not with bombs. That is immoral. But with crime and words. Videos of alt-left and alt-right groups fighting each other in the streets of New York. Protesters denying others from speaking or even disrupting a nice interview at a protest or event. Both sides are fighting back toward the other in their fight for what they believe is <right>. Who even knows what is <right> anymore. This is what America has become, a place filled with millions of <right> thoughts all driven by what society has stated for people to consume. But with knowledge and research what is <right> can be found in this world. Otherwise, we have heard it both ways, <right> and wrong on both sides.

While writing this I have been listening to Imagine by John Lennon on repeat, in the hopes that ‘the world would be as one’ in this fight for a better country and world. The real <right> thing to do in today’s America is to put down your own prejudices and judgment and listen to what others say, peacefully. Not through hate. Just listen. Just research and find the true facts not what Donald Trump, Fox News, Hilary Clinton, CNN, and Rachel Meadow say. Maybe then we can all live as one. Imagine that.