“As a culture, we have lost the ability to engage in fruitful, edifying discussions with people from opposing viewpoints. The moment the conversation shifts to a hot topic, respect flies out the window and that person becomes the enemy.” This is from an editorial assignment for my eleventh-grade AP Language class. I was speaking specifically about the topic of abortion, yet I find this quote has a fitting position here, specifically for the analysis of Montgomery County’s big problem of censorship and polarization.
I was involved in Ms. Brenda Diaz’s campaign for the Board of Education this past election season and saw firsthand the amount of polarization in our county. For instance, Council Member Kristin Mink was one of the proponents for labeling Ms. Diaz, who is registered as an Independent, as a “Right-Wing Extremist.” When I engaged Ms. Mink regarding the evidence, I was met with, “The Maryland Democrat Party said so.”
Ms. Mink is just one of the many in the county who wish to divide not only the right from the left but also the left from the middle. Her methods reduce Independents and Conservatives to extremists with a hateful agenda, rather than neighbors with different life experiences and opinions.
This online “tit-for-tat” was subsequently mentioned by Ms. Diaz in a Council hearing, and her mic was cut off. To say that this is disappointing may be an understatement. This was just one example of our elected officials engaging in public censorship. This was not just other county residents, rather it was the individuals elected to represent the wants and needs of their constituents. Censoring Ms. Diaz’s speech is a poor interpretation of this duty. The fact that countless unsubstantiated claims are being purported as fact by our elected officials should be eye-opening and concerning.
(https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/about/procedures.html)
Along these lines are myriad instances where Diaz signs were removed or vandalized. This violates Montgomery County law and exposes the character of the unions and the radical county left. I would argue this power struggle is less a conflict between the Democrats and Republicans, rather the extreme left and the American people.
Another disappointing encounter occurred during early voting when a lady from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) interrupted my conversation with a voter quite rudely. She baselessly claimed that “Diaz was escorted off campus by police” implying Ms. Diaz was a criminal. I ignored her and continued my conversation. This instance is a reflection of how inappropriate and unprofessional the unions have become in getting their candidate to power. These actions are in lock-step with the other censorship present and the movement to destroy reputations baselessly. They make up lies and sow chaos to make voters confused and disoriented.
There hasn’t been a dissenting voice on the Board of Education in who-knows-how-long. Ms. Diaz brought creative and new ideas to a failing education system and was met with slander and hatred. The dog of Montgomery County keeps returning to its institutionalized big-money vomit and won’t see positive results if something doesn’t change. We must grapple the power away from the hive mind of the radical left that has left our county in a downward spiral.
To close, I would like to recognize the progress that was made this election season. Ms. Diaz gained 42% of the vote compared to similar candidates two years prior who got less than 40%. This is a great sign for independent candidates in the coming elections. The tide is turning slowly but surely. We are returning to common sense and are tired of the same talking points and micromanagement of the Montgomery County constituencies. It’s about time we put an end to the censorship and polarization of Montgomery County.
