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9-06-2022 12:31am
Hope for Mitigating Political Divisiveness: Women and Neighbors Working Together
Darlene Cancell
Editor
By John Arams, Contributor
Our country is afflicted with mutual distrust between Republicans and Democrats. According to a recent study by the Pew Research Center,[i] Republicans believe Democrats are dishonest (72%), immoral (72%) and closed-minded (69%). Democrats have only a slightly less negative view of Republicans; they believe Republicans are dishonest (64%), immoral (63%), and close-minded (83%). As we approach the next two-year election cycle, stereotypes between liberals and conservatives appear to solidify, distrust to rise, and political rhetoric to escalate.
Don Jansiewicz, a retired Professor specializing in American government and a resident of Westwood, addresses political polarization in his book, Our Disunited States of America: The Struggle Between Conservatives and Liberals (2020). Jansiewicz explores the nature and causes of our opposing political ideologies, their policy differences, and factors contributing to the divisiveness. He also describes the ideal world that each tribe envisions.
Most importantly, Jansiewicz thinks there may be a way out of our divisiveness. He describes a series of factors that may, over the long run, mitigate political polarization. To this extent, the book expresses an optimistic outlook.
Additional polarizing events have taken place since Jansiewicz published Our Disunited States, and he agreed to contribute his thoughts about our recent history, where our country is headed, and what implications may arise for our community. The following is an edited interview with him.
JA: Don, tell me about yourself and your background as well as your impressions of Westwood.
DJ: My first home was in a chicken coop on my grandfather's farm. The chicken coop had been converted into housing for my parents, who were just getting started. My father was a factory worker, and my mother was taking care of the three little boys.
After moving into a larger home, I went to grade school and then on to high school. I was not a very good student and had mediocre grades. In order to get into Western Michigan University, I had to take a test and I was accepted into the university. I was so scared of failing out that I really studied hard and got good grades. In fact, I was admitted into the first Honors College class at the university. I majored in Political Science and minored in Economics. I went on to graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and completed my work for a master’s degree. One of my instructors was so impressed with me that he asked me to coauthor a chapter on Civil Rights Coalitions for a book on Coalition Theory.
Eventually, I was employed to teach Political Science in a Baltimore area community college. I was promoted rapidly and eventually helped start a new community college in a neighboring county. After retiring, I published an American Government simulation that has been used for over 20 years. More recently, I have published the book, Our Disunited States of America, about the struggle between conservatives and liberals. Currently, I am finishing a book on political power shifting to generations Y and Z as well as another book on American politics and the disabled.
My wife and I moved from Maryland to Massachusetts to be closer to our neuropsychologist daughter and her family. At first, we lived in Medford; but, recently moved to Fox Hill Village in Westwood. We really like Fox Hill Village and the Westwood Community. Neither of us ever thought that we working-class kids would end up in a place like this. We really like to walk around Fox Hill Village and Westwood. It is so pleasant.
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JA: Since you wrote the book, Don, we have had a contested Presidential election, a violent effort to change the election outcome, and increasingly vitriolic rhetoric. How do you assess these events? What is the current state of our politics?
DJ: We are at a very difficult time in our nation's political history. We are being pulled apart and are now anxious about even talking about political issues with others, because we think we might be offending them and get into an argument. The attack on January 6th has certainly set our nation back. Future history books will probably report it as one of the more negative events in our country. The continuing struggle between the two ideological camps is going to make it difficult to solve long term problems like global warming or routine issues. Even some of our public schools are being told that they are not to discuss issues, like our racial history, because it makes some people uncomfortable.
JA: You wrote about factors that should moderate political extremism in the long run. What is one of the most important aspects that gives you optimism?
DJ: I do see hope on the horizon. Women are playing a greater role as we move forward as a nation. Most women are not frozen in an ideological framework. They are inclined to be problem solvers and are more sensitive to the needs of others. Women are voting more than men, running for an increasing number of offices and playing a greater role in organizations. Unfortunately, some men lean towards an angry approach (see the pictures from January 6th) and they are making it more difficult for other men to play a more systematic role in political life and be problem solvers.
JA: How do you believe communities, such as Westwood, may be affected by our divided politics? Are there actions that might be taken at the local level to avoid extremism?
DJ: I think that there is great hope for people at the local level. We can get to know our neighbors and work together on common local issues. Such cooperative activities can build confidence that our problems can be solved through common efforts that are not driven by ideology. Such actions are motivated by common desires to solve problems and not what some talk radio person says.
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[i] https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/politics-policy/political-parties-polarization/political-polarization/
Thanks to John Aram, a retired professor of management policy, and a recent resident of Westwood, for contributing this article to Westwood Minute.
