By any means necessary has become the philosophy of Republicans. They no longer care about how they win their policies only that they win. They are rejecting the values of non-violence. In non-violence the means is said to determine the ends. If you use violence, raw power, or deception to achieve your goals you can expect the same in return when you interact with that group. The means will determine how great the resentment the other feels toward you and the process. If you are willing to do anything regardless of the truth or the values of the other you have not made a friend but an opponent if not an enemy. The non-violent stance of the means effect the ends is tossed aside for winning. This leads to not winning hearts but showing that force is the way to achieve your beliefs. The far right are sacrificing some values for the sake of other values. The thinking is ‘I do not like Trump’s misogyny but I do like his Supreme Court Nominees’. It is always problematic to pick and choose which values are more important. You fall into the trap of thinking your only choice is the lesser of two evils. But how can you grade which is more important: abortion or national security? Picking and choosing the values you will promote justifies the claim that you are hypocritical on many issues. You espouse a certain morality but do not promote or guard it so that another value can be achieved. What happens if you do not achieve the goal you have forfeited? You have sacrificed all or most of your values and this would leave you morally bankrupt. The problem with picking and choosing which values will take precedent is what if you choose a value that is wrong? You have forsaken your other values. This would lead you to a morally unmoored life. And if we are truthful we all have changed our views on issues during our lives. Furthermore, if you pick and choose how can you avoid being swayed by the latest hot issue. So instead of living out your values you have become an ethical faddist. Another factor to consider is the political field is littered with false prophets. If you align yourself with someone no matter what you are open to their ethical limitations. And we all know the stereotype of the politician who promises the moon to be elected but delivers you a lemon instead. A true prophet once said, “What good does it do you to gain the whole world but lose your soul’ Another writer said, “Winning is such a small thing.” What he meant was if you sacrifice your soul and the relationships of those around you for ‘winning’ you have lost. We have the potential to have two Supreme Court Justices who have committed or been accused of misogynist acts. They both will vote against Roe vs. Wade if it comes before the court. Is this the Republican idea of winning? This is probably the reason Republicans face losing the majority in Congress and the Presidency. They are not making friends but are creating stalwart enemies among the minority populations who are soon to be in the majority. The right says they are concerned about the religious freedom of conservative evangelicals. To shore their position up they are appointing federal judges and Supreme Court Justice’s seat by any means necessary. But power is switching in our country and one wonders if their by any means necessary in the long run will not jeopardize their cherished religious freedom as they make unnecessary enemies.
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