America needs a revival because 'where we are now isn't healthy' | Tom Campbell
Lib and I were invited to speak to the Transylvania Partners for Democracy. This group is reminiscent of the 1773 Committees of Correspondence, formed in North Carolina and other colonies, to spread communications to all colonists prior to the Revolution.
Then, as now, patriotic citizens felt threatened by the violence, angry partisan rhetoric and divisive politics. A great many of those present at our event were especially worried about what could happen in another Trump presidency.
They had several topics they wanted us to discuss, especially November’s election and our vision of where things now stand. We told them events were changing so rapidly it was hard to keep up with them, much less understand their impact. FYI, our program was presented before the Biden NATO press conference, his subsequent campaign rally, the horrific assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life, and Judge Eileen Cannon’s pro-Trump decision to dismiss the documents case or the RNC convention.
Heads nodded affirmatively when we told them this presidential contest featured one candidate who could not tell the truth and another who wouldn’t face the truth. They continued nodding when we suggested that a large number of voters would prefer to mark their presidential ballot by voting for “none of the above.”
I reported that a reliable source informed me that an internal candidate poll showed that Trump’s 9.9 percent margin of victory in North Carolina had risen to 11.9 percent following Biden’s disastrous debate performance. The current war going on among Democrats is only improving Trump’s chances for victory.
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There is genuine alarm in the NC Democratic Party. Some speculate that unless things change no statewide Democrat could be elected to the Council of State, with the possible exception of Secretary of State Elaine Marshall. There is fear, due to gerrymandering and the confusion within the Democratic Party, that the current split of seven Republicans and seven Democrats in our congressional delegation could easily become 11-3 favoring the GOP. And the loss of a Supreme Court seat could result in Republicans holding a 6-1 majority on our highest court.
If true, such a scenario would also elect Mark Robinson to be our next governor, Dan Bishop as Attorney General, Dave Boliek as Auditor and homeschooler Michelle Morrow as our next Superintendent of Public Instruction. Spurred by the Republican red wave, even larger GOP pluralities in our General Assembly would continue and expand the culture wars we’ve witnessed in recent legislatures. And be assured that their persistent dismantling of traditional public schools will only become more pointed.
Many North Carolinians believe this reality would be akin to Armageddon. It’s no wonder some 100 people showed up for the Brevard event.
Our Transylvania partners were very interested in learning more about Project 2025, the blueprint designed by former advisors and appointees of Donald Trump in conjunction with the Heritage Foundation and the Koch brothers. The 900-page document, “A Mandate for Leadership,” provides “both a governing agenda and the right people in place, ready to carry this agenda out on day one of the next conservative administration.” Trump says he doesn’t know anything about Project 2025, but his name is mentioned 312 times. It doesn’t pass the truth test to think he doesn’t know about it. Further, if this isn’t what he is planning why not come out and loudly rebuke it, disclaiming what it is in it? In fact, no significant Republican has denied either its existence or intent.
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Let us categorically and emphatically say that no violence is justified or acceptable…especially in election campaigns. The assassination attempt points graphically to the violence and hyper partisanship evident today. Party principals on both sides mutually agree to the need of toning down the angry, divisive rhetoric, but so far little evidence of de-escalation is evident. Nobody wants to be first holding out the olive branch and urging followers to dial down the tone of our politics.
Back in the days of my youth, before television and mass media became so dominant (and before we even knew about social media), summertime was when camp meetings and tent revivals would come to town. Evangelists would call us to self-examination and repentance, to new commitments for our behaviors.
We could use such a revival right now. Is it possible that we, regardless of our political, racial, sexual or other affiliations could call a truce on all things keeping us apart and recommit to finding the greater things that unite us?
It is right for those who cherish democracy in our republic to be concerned. We should all be Partners in Democracy, sounding the loud voice for the restoration of times when we could earnestly disagree without being violent, disagreeable or divisive.
Where we are now isn’t healthy.
Tom Campbell is a Hall of Fame North Carolina broadcaster and columnist who has covered North Carolina public policy issues since 1965. Contact him at tomcamp@carolinabroadcasting.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Tom Campbell writes about divisive rhetoric in politics
