Its original meaning, drawn from the Greek polis, referred to the shared life of a community—how people organize themselves, resolve disputes, distribute responsibilities, preserve justice, and protect the future of their society.
\nA politician was not an entertainer or manipulator, but a caretaker of collective order—someone trained in wisdom, restraint, ethics, and long-term thinking.
\nOver time, this meaning has eroded.
\nPolitics has become a marketplace of outrage, a battlefield of identity, and a theater of ambition.
\nIts language has grown aggressive, its incentives predatory, and its emotional volatility now spills into every corner of public life.
\nThis collapse has had consequences—especially for children, who are now exposed to the hatred, psychological warfare, and moral confusion of adult political struggles.
\nIn Islam, moral responsibility begins at maturity. Before that, a child is not held accountable for sin. Their moral ledger has not yet opened.
\nPolitics has ignored this wisdom.
\nIt now floods every space indiscriminately—homes, schools, entertainment, and childhood itself.
\n\nThis essay argues that politics must be re-segregated by maturity—not censored, but structured.
Adult politics should exist in adult spaces, governed by adult rules, adult accountability, and adult consequences.
\nBefore redesigning what politics should become, we must first remember what it was: a discipline of collective responsibility—not a psychological hazard for the unformed mind.
\nThis is the redesign of politics.
\nNot more noise. Not more outrage. Not more spectacle.
\nA return to seriousness.
\nA return to responsibility.
\nA return to adulthood.
" } } ], "pages": [ { "slug": "children-part-1", "title": "Politics for Children — Part One", "kicker": "COMIC BOOK", "summary": "A comic book that tries to explain politics to a child without lying to them, and the story of finding out whether that was even possible.", "redesign": "politics", "url": "https://omararizona.com/redesign/politics/children-part-1", "markdown": "https://omararizona.com/redesign/politics/children-part-1.md", "read_in_full_at": "https://buymeacoffee.com/omar1800m/unveiling-one-kind-comic-book-a-journey-through-politics-children-families", "cover": "https://omararizona.com/images/redesign/politics/children-1/cover.jpg", "cover_alt": "A comic book cover. Against an American flag, a figure in black holds a set of scales whose pans read People, Politics, It's Not Personal, and It's Politics. A badge with a crescent and star reads A MUSLIM SOLUTION FOR POLITICS. A masked figure in a long coat stands beside a caricatured politician holding a microphone, saying \"They hate me because of politics!\" A young boy looks up and asks, \"Why do they hate you?\" The Statue of Liberty stands at the left. A banner across the bottom reads \"It's time to bring justice into politics.\"", "panels": [], "word_count": 326, "content": { "markdown": "## The Journey to Domesticate Politics: A Creative Beginning\n\nWe often believe that some subjects are too heavy, too complex, or too ugly for young minds. Politics, in particular, has become a beast that many adults struggle to understand, let alone explain.\n\nThis is the story of my creative journey—a journey to see if I could even qualify to domesticate this beast.\n\n### Part One: The Politics of Childhood\n\nWhen I first started, I asked myself a daunting question: Am I even qualified to explain this? But I realized that if we wait for permission to start difficult conversations, we will wait forever. So, I began where all good things begin: with the future. I started with children.\n\nMy mission was to translate the chaos of political discourse into a language that a child could understand. I chose the most creative medium I knew: a comic book.\n\nThis wasn't just a project; it was a test. Could I take the abstract, the divisive, and the complex, and turn it into something digestible and engaging? That was the creative work. That was the grind.\n\n### Part Two: Why This Matters Now\n\nI chose this path because parents have been profoundly affected by politics, especially over the last decade. We have watched politicians lose decorum, and honestly, the landscape isn't getting any cleaner.\n\nBut here is the truth I've learned: Politics will not change overnight. It is a beast that needs to be domesticated.\n\nWe have new tools now, like AI, that might help us tame this beast. But we must remember a crucial rule:\n\n> Children are capable. They are not stupid. If we treat them like they can't understand, we mute them. And if we mute them, we rob the future of its voice.\n\nI look forward to having conversations with all of you—parents, creators, and thinkers. Let's stop shielding the next generation from reality and start equipping them to understand it.\n\n**Please enjoy Part One.**", "html": "We often believe that some subjects are too heavy, too complex, or too ugly for young minds. Politics, in particular, has become a beast that many adults struggle to understand, let alone explain.
\nThis is the story of my creative journey—a journey to see if I could even qualify to domesticate this beast.
\nWhen I first started, I asked myself a daunting question: Am I even qualified to explain this? But I realized that if we wait for permission to start difficult conversations, we will wait forever. So, I began where all good things begin: with the future. I started with children.
\nMy mission was to translate the chaos of political discourse into a language that a child could understand. I chose the most creative medium I knew: a comic book.
\nThis wasn't just a project; it was a test. Could I take the abstract, the divisive, and the complex, and turn it into something digestible and engaging? That was the creative work. That was the grind.
\nI chose this path because parents have been profoundly affected by politics, especially over the last decade. We have watched politicians lose decorum, and honestly, the landscape isn't getting any cleaner.
\nBut here is the truth I've learned: Politics will not change overnight. It is a beast that needs to be domesticated.
\nWe have new tools now, like AI, that might help us tame this beast. But we must remember a crucial rule:
\n\nChildren are capable. They are not stupid. If we treat them like they can't understand, we mute them. And if we mute them, we rob the future of its voice.
I look forward to having conversations with all of you—parents, creators, and thinkers. Let's stop shielding the next generation from reality and start equipping them to understand it.
\nPlease enjoy Part One.
" } }, { "slug": "children-part-2", "title": "Politics for Children — Part Two", "kicker": "COMIC BOOK", "summary": "Made during the Trump years, with one rule held throughout — never name him, never point a finger. Look at the strings instead.", "redesign": "politics", "url": "https://omararizona.com/redesign/politics/children-part-2", "markdown": "https://omararizona.com/redesign/politics/children-part-2.md", "read_in_full_at": "https://buymeacoffee.com/omar1800m/comic-book-part-2", "cover": "https://omararizona.com/images/redesign/politics/children-2/cover.jpg", "cover_alt": "A comic page. An orange plane marked PUPPET MAN flies over a town casting a shadow, and children below watch hundreds of puppets parachuting out of it — a clown, a jester, figures with candy. In the panel beneath, a giant grinning puppet master in a purple robe and a jester's hat works marionette strings above a street of delighted children, while the caption explains that the puppets were sent to fool the children into believing they came for entertainment and to give them candy.", "panels": [], "word_count": 344, "content": { "markdown": "## Part Two — Shielding Innocence Without Hiding Truth\n\nPart Two holds a special place in my heart, because it was born during a specific, turbulent moment in history—the Trump era.\n\nWhen I sat down to create this installment, I had a clear boundary in my mind: I will not traumatize these children. I knew the real world was loud, divisive, and often overwhelming. So, I had to find a creative escape hatch.\n\nThe president wears orange. So, I made the plane (or the visual motif) orange—a subtle nod that adults would recognize, but a playful color that children would just see as fun. But here is the most important choice I made: I never named him. I never pointed a finger. I never said a single bad word about anyone.\n\nInstead, I focused on the strings.\n\nWhat are the strings? They are the invisible threads of cause and effect. The behaviors. The consequences. I wanted to keep children occupied with thinking—asking themselves why people act the way they do, and what happens when those actions ripple out into the real world. It became a lesson in observation, not accusation.\n\nWhy did I do it this way? Because we don't need to blame people to teach valuable lessons. In fact, blaming shuts down curiosity.\n\n> But pointing the finger at yourself—reflecting on your own choices and how you react to the world—that opens up a lifetime of wisdom.\n\n### A Note to Parents and Thinkers\n\nI know we all want to shield our children's innocence. But shielding doesn't mean building a wall of silence. It means curating how they encounter the world. It means giving them a lens of creativity and introspection, rather than a mirror of fear.\n\nSo, please enjoy Part Two. It is my humble attempt to navigate a noisy world with quiet creativity. I am truly looking forward to having a discussion with all of you—parents, educators, and anyone who believes that children deserve stories that respect their intelligence and protect their hearts.\n\n**Thank you for joining me on this journey.**", "html": "Part Two holds a special place in my heart, because it was born during a specific, turbulent moment in history—the Trump era.
\nWhen I sat down to create this installment, I had a clear boundary in my mind: I will not traumatize these children. I knew the real world was loud, divisive, and often overwhelming. So, I had to find a creative escape hatch.
\nThe president wears orange. So, I made the plane (or the visual motif) orange—a subtle nod that adults would recognize, but a playful color that children would just see as fun. But here is the most important choice I made: I never named him. I never pointed a finger. I never said a single bad word about anyone.
\nInstead, I focused on the strings.
\nWhat are the strings? They are the invisible threads of cause and effect. The behaviors. The consequences. I wanted to keep children occupied with thinking—asking themselves why people act the way they do, and what happens when those actions ripple out into the real world. It became a lesson in observation, not accusation.
\nWhy did I do it this way? Because we don't need to blame people to teach valuable lessons. In fact, blaming shuts down curiosity.
\n\nBut pointing the finger at yourself—reflecting on your own choices and how you react to the world—that opens up a lifetime of wisdom.
I know we all want to shield our children's innocence. But shielding doesn't mean building a wall of silence. It means curating how they encounter the world. It means giving them a lens of creativity and introspection, rather than a mirror of fear.
\nSo, please enjoy Part Two. It is my humble attempt to navigate a noisy world with quiet creativity. I am truly looking forward to having a discussion with all of you—parents, educators, and anyone who believes that children deserve stories that respect their intelligence and protect their hearts.
\nThank you for joining me on this journey.
" } }, { "slug": "adults", "title": "Politics — Comic Book for Adults", "kicker": "COMIC BOOK", "summary": "A rebound after 2016 that refused to curdle into bitterness, and the design it turned into — a hall where arguments are weighed instead of shouted.", "redesign": "politics", "url": "https://omararizona.com/redesign/politics/adults", "markdown": "https://omararizona.com/redesign/politics/adults.md", "read_in_full_at": "https://buymeacoffee.com/omar1800m/welcome-adult-comic-book", "cover": "https://omararizona.com/images/redesign/politics/adults/cover.jpg", "cover_alt": "A comic book cover. Caricatures of Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama stand together, one reaching up toward an oversized silver football. Above them, two faces in a speech bubble captioned \"It's not personal, it's politics.\" In the foreground, a figure in the pose of Rosie the Riveter flexes her arm beside a caption reading \"You grab me I kick you.\" Banners across the lower half read STRONGER TOGETHER and \"Why powerful women are the key to future.\"", "panels": [], "word_count": 398, "content": { "markdown": "## The Adult Edition — A Rebound of Hope, Not Bitterness\n\nThere is a moment in every creator's life where they must choose: do I stay bitter, or do I build something beautiful?\n\nFor me, that moment came after the 2016 election. I am a liberal. I am a Democrat. And like so many, I was devastated when Hillary lost. The grief was real. But I refused to let that grief curdle into bitterness. Instead, I channeled it into a fantasy—a creative rebound.\n\n### The Vision of Triumph\n\nIn the pages of this adult comic book, you will see a powerful image: Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, side by side, going at it and winning.\n\nThis wasn't about rewriting history. It was about healing my own heart. It was me telling myself, \"Better days are ahead.\" It was a reminder that hope is not naive—it is an act of courage. We must lead with our creative expression and do something magnificent, even when reality feels heavy.\n\n### Domesticating the Beast with Real Solutions\n\nBut let's be clear: this adult edition is not just a daydream. It is a blueprint. It is designed to actually domesticate politics.\n\nBecause here is the diagnosis I want to share with you: our system is broken because we have mixed up the personal with the political. There is too much emotion. Too much identity. Not enough facts.\n\n### The Hall of Weighing\n\nThat is why I dream of designing a physical hall—a space where AI will be integrated alongside breathtaking art. Imagine walking into a room where people stand on scales, weighing their arguments as if they are in a courtroom.\n\n- Is this personal? Or is it political?\n- Is this emotion? Or is it fact?\n\nThis space visually restructures how we engage with each other. It forces us to look at the weight of our words, the evidence of our claims, and the humanity of our opponents.\n\n> This is the complete solution for politics. Not more shouting. More weighing.\n\n### Bringing the Medicine\n\nI look forward to meeting the parents, the thinkers, and everyone else who understands that politics is missing its medicine. That medicine is creativity. It is structure. And yes, it is hope.\n\nSo please, enjoy the Adult Edition. This is where the fantasy meets the framework.\n\n**This is where we stop being devastated and start being architects.**", "html": "There is a moment in every creator's life where they must choose: do I stay bitter, or do I build something beautiful?
\nFor me, that moment came after the 2016 election. I am a liberal. I am a Democrat. And like so many, I was devastated when Hillary lost. The grief was real. But I refused to let that grief curdle into bitterness. Instead, I channeled it into a fantasy—a creative rebound.
\nIn the pages of this adult comic book, you will see a powerful image: Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, side by side, going at it and winning.
\nThis wasn't about rewriting history. It was about healing my own heart. It was me telling myself, "Better days are ahead." It was a reminder that hope is not naive—it is an act of courage. We must lead with our creative expression and do something magnificent, even when reality feels heavy.
\nBut let's be clear: this adult edition is not just a daydream. It is a blueprint. It is designed to actually domesticate politics.
\nBecause here is the diagnosis I want to share with you: our system is broken because we have mixed up the personal with the political. There is too much emotion. Too much identity. Not enough facts.
\nThat is why I dream of designing a physical hall—a space where AI will be integrated alongside breathtaking art. Imagine walking into a room where people stand on scales, weighing their arguments as if they are in a courtroom.
\nThis space visually restructures how we engage with each other. It forces us to look at the weight of our words, the evidence of our claims, and the humanity of our opponents.
\n\nThis is the complete solution for politics. Not more shouting. More weighing.
I look forward to meeting the parents, the thinkers, and everyone else who understands that politics is missing its medicine. That medicine is creativity. It is structure. And yes, it is hope.
\nSo please, enjoy the Adult Edition. This is where the fantasy meets the framework.
\nThis is where we stop being devastated and start being architects.
" } } ], "articles_filed_here": [], "written": true, "intro": null }