The practice of politics has always been a contentious, dog-eat-dog institution, but when Rod came out of prison after eight-years, he found it had devolved into something he didn’t even recognize. Today’s politicians have completely lost sight of what’s good for America and its people; they’ve forgotten that, at the end of the day, a victory for one party or the other is meaningless unless it improves the lives of the greatest number people they serve. We’ve entered a period of no compromise and a winner takes all mentality that insists “I’m right and you’re wrong 100% of the time.” Both political parties are discrediting foundational institutions, leaving us out of balance and trusting of no one. We’re barreling towards a conflict of monumental proportions in this country that raises the real question: can our democracy survive?

The all or nothing, no compromise approach being demonstrated by our elected leaders has permeated our society in ways that have led to an overall lack of respect and intolerance for one another. In the area of crime, we’re confronted with horrific incidents of police brutality, but the remedy posited by many of those concerned is to defund the entire police force. Incidents of violent crime, fueled in part by the pandemic, have soared in most American cities as local governments shockingly decriminalize “lesser offenses” or just choose not to enforce laws as they reallocate resources to address the surge. Lacking in the discussion is common sense. We move from one extreme to the next as opposed to taking the broader context that history and experience can provide to lead us to reasonable and lasting solutions. Those impacted by crime are becoming increasingly siloed and hardened in positions that lose sight of the rights and concerns of others and the long-standing facts that show cooperation between law enforcement, communities, and victims, provide the most impactful answers.

Having spent 8 years in prison gave Rod an awful lot of time to think and he realized a few things. Things like, increasingly, we are a people whose lives are governed by the algorithms of our favorite social media platforms and the extremism of our chosen political party. Too many of us are now ceding our free will to entities and politicians that, by all indications, are serving their own interests often to the detriment of our own. Conversations between family members and neighbors that used to flesh out the facts and help shape opinions are now, too often, avoided at the risk of setting off near violent confrontations over who’s right and who’s wrong. We don’t think on our own enough anymore, ponder the issues through multiple prisms of influence and willingly look for holes in our accepted theories. Even more alarming, we’re not teaching our kids to think critically, scientifically. The great thinkers of our time would put forth their theory and welcome the very feedback that could disprove it. Why? Because it is the only way to get at the best version of truth. The very best remedy for what ails and the best ideas to make all lives better lived.