Joe Biden’s calls for “unity” might sound reassuring, but political harmony is usually an ugly, authoritarian goal that undermines the entire purpose of a free nation and “democracy.” Other than occasional moments of national tragedy or exultation, we don’t need it. Unity is for dictatorships. In an ideologically, culturally, and religiously diverse country, we just need Americans to accept that their neighbors are going to disagree with them.
And, yes, appeals to “unity” have historically been little more than euphemistic calls to accept left-wing cultural mores. One never achieves “unity” in American politics by respecting socially conservative values. One does so by finally opening his closed mind and soul to ever-evolving progressive standards.
Recall the pseudo-patriotic “unity” sloganeering and accompanying hero worship surrounding Barack Obama. When the late Rush Limbaugh — on whom Democrats had once blamed the Oklahoma City bombing — had the audacity to say he wanted Obama to “fail,” it became a national story. Then came the wave of feigned anger about his lack of patriotism. Because Democrats would be, of course, clamoring for Donald Trump to succeed, right?
Many of us wanted Obama to fail because his ideas undermined the constitutional order and important norms in America. Why would anyone unify around the idea that we need to “change” our foundational principles? To be fair, those on the left don’t really view their positions as being partisan. It’s all just good, moral common sense.
Anyway, when you get old enough, you start noticing that whenever Democrats win an election, Americans are called
