Liberia and US

Liberia’s opposition parties have challenged the results of the presidential election, results that are not yet final. The main challenger will participate in what is expected to be a mandatory run-off election despite those supposed irregularities, but his party has nonetheless challenged the fairness of the election. Such challenges are not unusual in African politics. Irregularities are not unusual either, but when such accusations are made without proof they are detrimental. They give people reasons to challenge the government, to work to destabilize the government, and to resort to violence. They play upon divided loyalties and past inequities. African countries tend to have political parties that mirror ethnic, religious, or geographic divisions … so perceived slights to political parties can be perceived threats to whole groups of people. They aren’t isolated incidents either they have a place in a group’s narrative. Political parties are more than political parties. Allegiance to a political party can be stronger than the allegiance to the country. Now, we don’t usually think of the Republican Party as being the party of an ethnic or religious group … although it is not a completely crazy thought. But certainly we have institutional protections that aren’t present elsewhere, and don’t have a history of colonial manipulation of ethnic and religious differences. We do have, however, a situation where party interest is beginning to overwhelm national interest. Certainly there are those that have accused their political rivals of being un-American, effectively equating America with their political party. Claims of irregularities at the polls, while not at all new, seem to have become more strident and mainstream. It doesn’t seem a stretch to assert that folks have reacted to unfavorable election results by refusing to participate fully in the political process. The balancing of party and national interests is a delicate one, one that is maintained by many overlapping institutions. It is also maintained by a feeling that there is a common cause. It is a feeling that has been missing from many African countries like Liberia. It is a huge part of what has made America work. We aren’t in danger of becoming Liberia anytime soon, but we ought to be attentive to what has allowed our political system to function so well over the years. We ought not to take anything for granted, including that our politicians will continue to identify and work for a common cause.