It’s more widespread than Olympic fever. It’s more of a heath risk than H1N1.
It is fatal.
It has been known to resort to coercive tactics.
It is perhaps the single most dire issue plaguing American politics today.
No, it’s not Scott Brown’s Cosmopolitan centerfold — it’s partisanship.
Regardless of whether or not the recent White House health care summit was a real attempt at compromise and bipartisanship or simply a rhetorical strategy for courting re-election votes, hyper-partisanship can be seen at every level of the modern governmental system in the United States.
But it’s not just elected officials — seen a town hall meeting lately?
In one case on the news, a group of citizens, whether they were planted by the opposition or not, booed a disabled woman discussing her debilitating autoimmune disease and her inability to pay her astronomical medical bills.
Other cases involve riotous groups participating in verbal assault and others in actual assault (go ahead and YouTube it).
Who’s to fix this problem?
Over the weekend, I traveled to Harvard University along with 40 other student leaders from across the country to engage in a conference on public leadership, and we were asked the same question I’m asking in this column.
Though it was suggested that citizens have individual responsibility in the matter, it was the majority opinion that the task went to the leaders of our political world, both in the media as well as in public office.
By setting the example, leaders can show citizens that while political dialogue is paramount to everything our nation stands for, it can be and must be done with respect toward the other party involved.
What’s more, while “talking heads” and angry pundits are acceptable terms to use under free press, it may not showcase the rational side of any debate as often as possible.
And average citizens, whether conscious of it or not, are showing the side effects.
While in Boston Saturday evening, I was accosted against a dark alley wall as if on Frank Costello’s hit list.
This attack was not by the Irish mob, but by the three of the above-mentioned student leaders hailing from three distinct state universities.
It turns out I was on a hit list — not as a dirty snitch, but as a Republican.
Upon their learning of this egregious error, I was questioned, interrogated, interrupted and forced to explain the rationale behind my political preferences.
Then I was blamed for ruining America’s chance at health care.
Not once was it asked if I even agreed with the Republican viewpoint in Washington — it was assumed. All this during a conference on political civility.
To put it in perspective, the conference seminar earlier in the day had been on negotiation and mediation.
Later in the afternoon, there was a session on team building.
The final topic discussed the morning after the incident: the need for civility in politics.
Here’s to hoping the three unnamed assailants took home more than a souvenir.
Drawing from their prior behavior, I lean toward the side of not.
Does this mean that even with three days of training on leadership, ethics and responsible politics, civil debate and bipartisanship between parties are impossible?
Perhaps it proves citizens, not leaders, are the ones to set the example for one another.
If this is the case, let us remember lessons learned in our primary school days: Listen when someone has the floor, treat people the way you want to be treated, keep your hands to yourself and have some respect.
A little goes a long way.
Brittany Fox is a political science junior.
