Our Divided Political Heart Analysis

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I believe community is an important aspect to all our lives. Community builds character and, in some cases, defines who we are. There are different forms of community, such as “community standards” and “community action”, that ultimately bring individuals together whether they agree or disagree with one another. In his book Our Divided Political Heart, E.J. Dionne discusses what community is and its significance to society. Through my writing, I would like to specifically talk about “community action”, “community standards” and “community policing”. In the 1960’s, there was an evident division of race, especially between European Americans and African Americans. As Dionne mentions in his book, “Democrats could point to their battle for civil rights with pride, even if it among the whites the South”(85). In this scenario, community …show more content…

“Community policing” relates to authority( i.e, police) and how power is used. I find this type of community interesting because often hear about the police in the media. Police brutality has also been of interest recently. I usually hear friends and family discuss how ethical police officers' actions were. Sometimes they decide what sort punishment the officers deserve for their action even though their words will not change anything. A common aspect I see in people , whether they be friends, family, acquaintances, is the idea that the authority abuses its power. If a cop uses life-threatening tactics to stop a criminal from running away, some believe that the officer was abusing power given to him/her. On the other hand, others may feel that officer was just doing his/her duty in order to protect the citizen. This recurring debate is seen all the time in society. There is this distinct relationship between the citizens and the authority. The authority is supposed to regulate and protect the citizens, yet the lack of trust from both the citizens and authority strains the