I find the use of democratic power by "We, the People" a sobering, yet amazing phenomenon to view.
For example, I happened to wander into Madison, WI during the protests against Governor Walker two years ago now and saw the fervor in everyone's eyes. There were college students who spent their nights sleeping on the floor of the capital building practicing their rights to protest peacefully against something they believed was wrong. I watched the news and read the articles about a movement to recall Governor Walker swept the state and then blew up in the media. Wisconsin became the epicenter of nationwide look at the Republican party and urged for intense transparency into the emerging hyper-conservatives that have grown in popularity and number.
Split down party lines, the response to these events was ferocious. All over the state, it turned into campaign season all over again. Plenty of attack ads, myriad of bumper stickers, lawn signs, billboards, NGO involvement and so much more. Those who had voted for his opponent in the original governor race were out with double the stickers and double the signs, while most of his supporters went out and supported him by not adding to the mess. Personally, I think many of them realized something that many had not. Almost all of the people who voted for him to begin with wanted his policies to go through, so they would ultimately vote for him again. No amount of attack ads or pro-union signage would change their mind. Ultimately, those people were right; Governor Walker continues to be governor of Wisconsin despite a recall attempt and disagreement from 49.9% of his constituents.
Jump forward to December of 2012 when a sudden rash of media attention brought to light the growing "epidemic" of gun violence in the United States. Walking outside that same Wisconsin capital where thousands had gathered around chanting and protesting with signs and marches were about 500 men and women carrying "Don't Tread on me" flags and openly carrying hunting rifles and pistols. Nationwide men and women organized to protest and protect their 2nd Amendment rights to bear arms while the other half of the nation solemnly stood in a circle holding candles in a vigil for the victims of Sandy Hook and the multiple other locations of violence.
However, it is important to note that the candlelit vigils in remembrance of those lost are occurring on a daily basis. Gun crime claim (based upon CDC information from 2005-10: the most recent statistics) on average 33 Americans per day. Nationwide there are 33 candlelit vigils being held in honor of people killed by a gun every night. Every night hundreds of people are gathering in remembrance. Every year (when new senators, representatives, governors, mayors, council members, aldermen, presidents, etc. are elected) several thousand gun owners clamber shoulder to shoulder to fly their flag and hold their guns.
The end result is that no matter how many people do or do not die from this issue, not to mention the countless other life takers, people will continue to gather to either side of this issue. Notice: I said either side of the issue. That's what we are all lead to believe, that there are only two strict sides to this argument, 1. gun restraints that will ultimately take all guns from gun owners, and 2. continually less strict gun regulations that will kill every innocent American. It is important to, as I recently heard, "think sideways." A citizen must (for it is their prerogative to be an informed voter) understand that no issue in government, or life, is as simple as yes or no. A rational decision is not made solely by saying yes or no. The debate is not abortion or no abortion, or guns or no guns. We must understand that a government official is fighting just as hard to keep their job as you are; to that end, no law of extremes would ever be passed. As I like to think, the phrase "politically correct" comes from the politicians themselves.
If there is only one thing you leave this post with let it be this: think sideways and never constrain your thought to binaries: there are always more than two answers.
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