In his farewell address, President George Washington admonished the citizens of the young Republic, “ The unity of government … is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence … many artifices [will be] employed to weaken your minds … of this truth.” He continues, “… Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections.
“The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together; the independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels, and joint efforts, of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.”
As a history and government teacher, I spend the greater part of my day building civic virtue in my students and making the argument that we citizens are stronger together than we are separate. That we are surrounded by our friends and neighbors. That the labels that we assign ourselves or others are less important than the label that describes us all — American.
Politics and the party system are poorly understood concepts in the minds of many Americans. Politics is nothing more than the decisions about how and what to use our common resources on. The party system is nothing more than a group of like-minded individuals who agree how to utilize our scarce common resources. Compared to other nations around the world, the differences between Republicans and Democrats in this country are as slight as the difference between white and wheat bread, despite our modern perceptions.
I was raised in this county and have the privilege of raising my family here as well. The forests and hills of Brown County are sacred to me. The people who live here are my friends and family. There is a good chance I taught many of the youth in this county at one time or another and like many teachers, they are my “kids.” Generally speaking, I harbor no ill will toward people with differing political philosophies. You are my neighbors. Parties are not rival sports teams. We should not feel satisfaction when one is “defeated” in an election.
It is in this light that I am so troubled by the recent vandalization of several Democratic candidates’ political signs at Eagle Park. Unfortunately, it has become an all-too-familiar issue for Democrats in this county. It has become commonplace to have signs ripped down, stolen, or even shredded with knives. As a teacher, I sometimes have to help kids understand that sometimes what is communicated is different than how something is communicated. Acts like what occurred at Eagle Park have a deeper and more subtle meaning.
It is a low-key means of political violence and intimidation. It is also a coward’s way of interaction. It is easy to destroy an inanimate object when no one is looking. It is hard and requires courage to engage in more productive and civic ways. When we give partisan ideas an outsized role, we are more likely to dehumanize each other. I refuse to believe that the vandals would have the audacity to confront an actual person, absent the safety of anonymity. Nonetheless, there is no room for that kind of behavior in our society.
The signs could be replaced. However, those signs have now been imbued with the nobility of having paid a price for standing for an ideal. I have repaired them and those signs are back out doing the task they are meant to do. Damaged. Torn. Soiled. Those signs will wear those scars as badges of honor. They will be a sign that Brown County Democrats can not be intimidated into inaction. Rather, they will be a rallying cry to action.
When we focus our attention on our party labels, we forget Washington’s words. We are all Americans — and that is far greater than any partisan label we allow ourselves to be distracted by. We deserve better from our civic discourse. We are neighbors. We share this community. We can do better. I call on all Brown County candidates and elected officials to join me in condemning this vandalization and all acts of political intimidation.
Justin Schwenk
Chair, Brown County Democratic Party and Democratic candidate for Brown County Commissioner, District 3
Nashville
