It is so that the political divide in the United States between conservative and liberal is quite… no, not quite, but, “exceptionally” toxic. I won’t kid you and say the conservatives have been doing everything right recently; quite the opposite, at least in regard to the Big Beautiful Bill, in which Republican Senators blocked extending Senator Markay’s amendment, which would extend funding for Alzheimer's research. The bill took 19 billion dollars in funding from the National Institute of Health and was strongly criticized by the Alzheimer's Association and the Bright Focus Foundation.

There is an ancient proverb somewhere around here about ‘good men planting trees whose shade they will never be able to enjoy.’ I suppose without derailing from my original point too much, this might be worse than not planting trees. Instead of increasing funding for Alzheimer’s research, removing that funding is like chopping down the trees whose shade old conservatives and liberals currently enjoy. What if a cure could be found in the near future, and so you, or your parents, would not have to spend your twilight years devoid of the memory of love? But to stop that research is to do worse than to shoot yourself in the foot; it is to move forward with the desire to make a mockery out of your good graces, and to be a burden on those whom we should not wish ill will towards.

I watched my grandmother fall into Alzheimer's. It is not anything to wish on even one's worst enemy; to forget even love is a true horror.

Aye, a horror, but with the Conservatives’ folly laid out by myself and others, I would pose a reflection in immediate response, and reflection for the future.

My father taught martial arts for many years, and when I was younger, I would recall jumping up next to him to watch Hollywood action movies or fighting flicks from Asia with dubbed-over English voices. He would often talk about how well done a move was or how poorly and why. What he always bemoaned was that the ‘good guy’ would walk away from the bad guy without finishing the fight, leaving space for the bad guy to jump up and get in a sucker-punch.

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and Four-Star General, James Mattis, had said a few things in this regard.

“You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it’s going to be bad.” And “Be polite, be professional, but have a plan to kill everybody you meet.”

As it turns out, war is just that: an army has to kill a guy, and then kill a guy’s friends and siblings who join a war to seek revenge for the first guy killed. If war isn’t final, a never-ending stream of sucker-punches is on its way.

So Conservatives and Liberals right now are, and always have been, engaged in a fight with each other. Lots of punches, lots of flimsy kicks and bad mouthing (like school children: “Libtards this,” and “Conservatives are just Nazi’s.”)

In this fight they are having, (the Conservatives are ‘winning,’ not because they are right, but because they were voted by the bystanders on the playground of the U.S. of A. to be the one on top swinging down) neither are capable of putting forth that last punch and that is a –very– important reflection.

To do so would mean no more democrats, or no more republicans. That would mean someone won in the final, dictatorial, and fascist way. The way in which it’s illegal to be on the playground and have anyone from a different party. So Liberals and Conservatives –cannot– throw the final punch, and all punches must be metered and measured, which makes the fight they have been having appear as even more childish.

So far, this article has established that Conservatives decided they were going to wake up and drain funding from the elderly (which they did, taking money from the national Institute on Aging) to fund their rich-people tax breaks (which they did, giving tax breaks to people buying tanning beds, while raising taxes on anyone who makes less than $17,000 a year).

And it's established that there is a fight going on between Conservatives and Liberals; however, it’s an unwinnable fight. Final punches are disallowed (i.e., We don't kill our opposition in the United States.)

Which means that we need to win people over through conversation and dialogue. Studies have shown time and time again that Independents are fed up with both sides of the aisle. Last election, they were more fed up with liberals, but now? I’d ask the Liberal readers here how many independents they tried befriending and speaking earnestly with.

And Conservatives, ya’ll might be passing your bills left and right, but you are doing so at the cost of the anger of the youth who will vote you out, or happily stick you, and your liberal compatriots in the same nursing home, side by side to enjoy Alzheimer's together.

When I asked for reflection, I meant it. At its core, this is a fight of your character, and of your words and actions. Badmouthing and making fun of the other side just shows everyone on the playground what sort of person is before them and continues to cause half the population of the United States to turn away when it comes time to vote.

Anger? Be angry now, sure. But yelling at you? What good does your yelling at someone do other than make you feel better for a moment, while showcasing your lack of grace, both Liberals and Conservatives alike?

I urge that you, Dear Reader, show grace and understanding to those around you. Provide mentorship and a listening ear, as well as a playful mind which should revel in the mental exercise of banter. The goal should be to foster more voters for your bloc, not to make them disgusted by your language or pettiness – either of you.

Austin Petak is an aspiring novelist and freelance journalist who loves seeking stories and the quiet passions of the soul. If you are interested in reaching out to him to cover a story, you may find him at austinpetak@gmail.com.

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