It's Getting Worse

I’m publishing this series of articles to share and discuss my ruminations on coping with a troubled and messy world. Please subscribe to never miss an article.

Unfortunately, recent events only confirm that things are getting worse, not better. The divisions between us are greater than ever.

In particular, two of my previous blogs speak directly on what ails us. Indeed, out of all the ones that I’ve written, two have produced the most reactions: 1. the case of the 10-year-old child in Ohio who was raped and had to travel to another State, in this case Indiana, to get an Abortion, and 2. my oft expressed feeling that I don’t want to have anything more to do with Red States because of their intense opposition to Abortion and senseless support of Guns.

In the case of the young girl, there was almost near universal support for the position that she was neither Mentally nor Physically fit to carry a baby to full term, and thus having an Abortion was more than justified because it was in her best interests. In the case of my not wanting anything to do with Red States, the picture was mixed. It produced both strong support as well as intense opposition. I understand the feeling that I’m tarnishing the many good people who live in Red States. That was not my intent. Indeed, I emphasize with them. But as I’ve said, things have gotten so bad such that I feel even stronger in my desire not to have anything to do with Red States.

The oft expressed position of those who are opposed to Abortion is that they’re not just firm in their beliefs, but that they are absolute in their opposition. If that’s the case, then I’m absolute in my defense of Abortion. Yes, I realize that this closes down any possibility of a conversation between us. The Middle Ground has all but collapsed.

Given that a strong majority of Republicans still hold on to the false belief that the last election was stolen from Trump[i], and furthermore that they want politicians not voters to decide elections, it only strengthens my desire not to have anything to do with Red States. Recent actions by Conservatives to mobilize Sheriffs to investigate and literally Police elections to ensure that they are to their liking[ii] only furthers it.

[i] Charles Homans, “’Stop The Steal ‘ Forever, How The Movement To Reinstate Trump Has Gone Far Beyond Him-And Now Threatens The Future of American Elections,’ The New York Times Magazine, July 24, 2022, p. 21–31, 46–47, 49.

[ii] Alexandra Berzon and Nick Corasaniti, “When Those Behind a Badge Question the Vote,” The New York Times, Monday, July 25, 2022, p. A1, A16.

Ian I. Mitroff is credited as being one of the principal founders of the modern field of Crisis Management. He has a BS, MS, and a PhD in Engineering and the Philosophy of Social Systems Science from UC Berkeley. He Is Professor Emeritus from the Marshall School of Business and the Annenberg School of Communication at USC. Currently, he is a Senior Research Affiliate in the Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, UC Berkeley. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Academy of Management. He has published 41 books. His latest is: The Socially Responsible Organization: Lessons from Covid, Springer, New York, 2022.

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