“They sent their women and children!”

Only in your own mind, but for some, that is all that’s required for it to be true.

Bethel, Ohio mayor talking to anti-BLM protestor (source: Cincinnati Enquirer)

The beautiful essay by Aaron Gell on Medium, titled: We don’t view you as Americans, describes the clash between BLM protesters and counter-protesters in Bethel, Ohio, or, as I see it, it describes the clash between Reason and Belief.

Reason and Belief represent the bi-polarity of today’s American politics better than ‘Left v Right’ or ‘Democrats v Republicans’.

Although the Left can bend its reasoning towards its political goals, their arguments are overall on a different playing field; they use facts and logic as the basis of their arguments. The current republican rethoric dismisses facts and reasoning out of hand embracing claims, beliefs, feelings and convictions to create emotional stories that appeal to their base.

In short the Left, the Democrats, the Liberals represent Reason. The Right, the GOP, the Republicans, the Conservatives represent Belief.

Reason is based in facts and logic. Belief is based in stories and feelings. It is no surprise that Republicans rely more on the fundamental religious voters, whilst Democrats aim for moderates. No prizes for guessing what party tends to make the more radical claims.