Years ago, I started to comment as a kid among the grownups about Ethiopia's internal politics after sensing, based on a limited reading from a distance, that it was caught between democratic and chaotic political forces. I got concerned enough that I didn't want to see the country that I left behind end up destabilized like what Somalia had gone through.
I couldn't understand why any grownup Ethiopian would want to see a country that can be a marvel of independence from primordial times into eternity destabilized and head into chaos instead of making efforts to make it more democratic and develop it. In fact, it is not very difficult to imagine that our small world can only be a marvelous neighborhood if more States rise to respect not only their own but other States as much.
My limited reading from a distance now suggests that there are more grownups that have chosen to see the country democratized than destabilized. If I have added any value, I think I have made my point in deciding to add my ideas to the debate.
Also years ago but at a much later time, I made a comment in passant, again based on a limited reading, that American democracy is organically not American but that it was based on borrowed ideas and debates in favor of democracy. I still remember that my comment in passant was mocked. I hold no grudges about it; I felt at the time that time will tell.
As if to say I told you so, which is not what I intend to do here, I think that we can fairly say that we have witnessed a culmination of insurrection by Regressive forces against Progressive forces in the U.S.
Many can ask why some rise against democracy in America if democracy was organically American.
Is there any legitimate polity in the history of humankind that has risen against democracy? I know of none. If anyone can argue that a polity of such nature has ever existed, I would argue that it must be an illegitimate polity because it defies by definition what it means to be a polity.
I don't want to be a lecturer of ideas here although I can be a stubborn lecturer of ideas if I see it that it is for their own good, at least the way I understand it.
Instead, I wish to offer, in the marketplace of ideas, both Donald Trump and Jeff Bezos to be lecturers of an idea that they have evidently accepted. I have heard with my own ears both of them say civilization on TV. My understanding of the pronouncements of both men when they said it is that they are its proponents. So, if my understanding serves me right, this is an offer that they can't refuse to accept.
Granted that this offer in the marketplace of ideas is accepted, here is what I wish as a kid to see each of these men do in their lectures. Define and characterize civilization. I think this is a simple ask of these men that have stood as its proponents.
In addition, I wish to see each one of them answer if the following general statement is true or false: One of the fundamental reflections of civilizations is ingrained consciousness of fidelity to the truth.
As a kid among the grownups, I think these are very simple ideas that can in the long run bring all the grownups to the same page. I admit that my ideas are biased in favor of the democratic political forces when it comes to Ethiopia's internal politics and the Progressive forces in the U.S. where I wish to see a better place for my children than myself.
I don't have the illusion that my little ideas can add meaningful value to the ongoing debate about democracy in the U.S. At the same time, I do not have the delusion that ideas don't potentially come from anywhere and help solve many problems.
As I write this, I am reminded of the Hungarian-born scientist that had to exhaust all her resources and energy only to find her ideas rejected early on in her career. I think that it is now fair to say that her idea has helped solve more than a million problems if we realize that the coronavirus pandemic has caused more than a million problems.
How can we fail to observe the beauty of ideas even in tragedies? So, if some elements in the wild west stand as proponents of such ideas, including the idea of civilization, I think it is only fair to demand of them to define and characterize this idea of civilization for which they stand to be proponents. It wouldn't surprise me if some hypocrites and affiliates of these elements in the wild west fail to stand to ask such questions.