Smoke or Substance?

The Royal family has had its day in the sun and now we can turn back to more serious issues. Or not. Last week, prior to the exchange of vows on Friday, President Obama yet again avowed his nationality by yet again addressing the issue of his birth certificate.

It seems that a small group of folks prefer diatribe over discussion, strife over solution. Short on ideas, they raise issues of little or no consequence that have already been asked and answered. These seemingly innocuous questions pique the interest of a larger group who think “pique” is nothing more than a small dog. Regardless, the media then runs with it because the news cycle has become a 24/7 news circle and electronic editors simply need something, anything, to fill the void. Unconventional media within the blogosphere adds fuel to the fire.

And just like that, the “Birther” movement was born and has flourished despite documentation and assertion to the contrary. As I previously stated, those that raise the original question have nothing else to offer to the conversation. And those that heed the question have limited time to devote to deeper thought. After all, “Dancing With the Survivor” is coming on in ten minutes.

While a minority  of society as a whole (25%) puts any credence into this particular debate, a majority of Republicans (58%) believe or, at least, think Obama was born somewhere outside of the US. Though we may chuckle at such a state of political affairs, closer examination reveals a concern and threat to our two party system.

The Tea Party enjoyed reasonable success in the 2010 mid-term elections and has since pulled the entire Republican Party farther to the right. Primary voters may find this much to their liking, but general elections draw a much more moderate turn-out and this threatens to render the Republican agenda nothing more than an asterisk. 

One need only open a daily newspaper from the last few days to find a plethora of challenges to mankind. Be they natural or man-made, financial, legislative, or societal: I find it hard to believe that a significant portion of any political party would find more pleasure in chasing ghosts than offering real-world ideas in trying to further an essential debate.

Do I subscribe to a right-wing philosophy? Not to a large degree, but I’m also not crazy about an unfettered left-wing ideology steering our ship of state. The value of the two parties is exhibited in the ensuing debate and compromise. It’s hard to debate and compromise with a group more focused on distracting non-issues, though.

Hopefully, the Birthers will accept the fallacies of their argument and move on to more pressing issues. Then again, a new question is taking shape surrounding Obama’s grades prior to his entrance into Harvard. Time will tell if “Schoolers” rise to prominence. I certainly hope they wither on the vine in short order, but cannot claim any confidence in their demise.

It matters not which political philosophy one might prefer. If you are prone to fall for tactics that serve to divert your attention from the matter-at-hand, you are ripe for the front row of the nearest magic act where the charlatan on the stage seeks your attention to the decoy hand while the other is doing the more serious business. Apparently, many today are more eager to delve into sensationalism and subterfuge than material fact and    meatier topics.

Personal opinions of our current leadership should not deter us from seeking a path out of the thicket we currently occupy. Paying attention to detractors for detraction’s sake should insult anyone paying the least little bit of attention to the world around us. Yes, there is a place in our day for regal matrimony and reality television. I’d suggest, though, that we find other concerns that merit a higher position on our priority lists.