“I Want My Country Back” — From What?

I haven’t been able to get to a town hall-style meeting on health care – I’m getting my info primarily through news reports. More power to the folk showing up to listen and to raise their voices. Some are worried about what appears to be organized groups at the ready to shout, disrupt gatherings, and behave in an uncivil manner. (I even hear that folk in President O’s administration are taking the meeting facilitator’s role seriously by handing out technique books for the handling of outbursts at these meetings.) Does the way these folk act make them and their concerns less authentic?

Is this really about health care in the United States? It’s great that people are showing up but what are they showing up for? It’s great that there are protests, but I am unclear about their purpose? What messages are we sending? What messages do we want to send? Is this an issue worthy of no business as usual until we figure it all out? Are the disruptions that we’ve witnessed this summer, part of true civil disobedience and comparable to other societal change mechanisms and conversations?

Some of this has gotten ugly – for real. What about that question of civility and quality civic involvement? Will the apparent uncivil behavior be effective and advance this issue? Or, is this really about frustration over access to our representatives, senators, and government – that there are not enough town halls meetings and outlets to be heard beyond writing in and receiving a form letter response? Are all the people in the room? How do we get more people into these rooms? I know I’ve only had a limited view of it all, but I don’t see enough young folk in the room or leading the conversations (especially where they will shoulder the costs and implementation).

Indicating that “you want your country back,” is a loaded pronouncement. I never quite know what it means or if I want to know.  I love this stuff — people showing up to talk this out and be engaged with how the place works — but I’m not sure how and where to jump in to the conversation.  We know there’s room for ideas and words, but is there a place for volume and emotion, too?