MAYBE NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT ?
I am not a history scholar enough to know whether or not the coming election in
the United States of America is the most important election in history, but I think the United States stands at an incredible turning point.
For a very long time the United States has had this vision of itself. It has passed along the self-image of a country that was a Christian nation, a nation that was blessed because it was elected by God as a Christian people. It has added to that image the supporting myth that it was a country blessed because it was lead by wise white male leaders. The founding fathers were all wise white men. The country was built by the wisdom and business acumen of white people. The country perpetuated the notion of its virtue and innocence by keeping out of its textbooks the crimes against Native Americans, the crimes of exploitation of South America, and the middle east oil. This was a magnificent country with a self image of white power and privilege that had accomplished its economic prosperity with the blessing of God.
The current election may be the last great battle to hold on to that crumbling image. The image is crumbling. The cracks in the image are beginning to open to wide to hold together. The old myth of our white power and privilege is under attack by a rising number of forces. The growing number of legal people of Hispanic ancestry. The report is that more than half of the children born in California are of Hispanic heritage. The number of Latin American legal and illegal immigrants may be tapering off but their presence must be acknowledge. The visibility and demand for equal treatment as a religion by the Muslims means that we can no longer pretend that all of our citizens are Christians. The separation of church and state means that government and society have to acknowledge the Muslims have as many rights as the Christians.
The Christian unity is being slowly weakened by the rise in the number of “nones” and the decline in the power of the main line Christian Church. The rise of the harsh religious conservatives is a response to the fear of losing Christians dominance in the culture and they are struggling to maintain the myth. The white power institution may be trying to maintain its grip on the power by the police’s attempt to keep blacks in their place by shooting many. Black lives matter is the refusal to continue to allow white privilege to go unchallenged. Women are beginning to speak up and demand equal pay for equal work. The impact of ever changing technology that puts many out of work is changing the way we work. The demand for a higher minimum wage is a response to the widening gap in wealth that pays “old white men” way more than they are worth. If those CEO are so wonderful why do we keep having to bale out the saving and loan industry, the real estate industry, the auto industry, the banking industry?
The Old White Male dominated Christian image of ourselves is being attacked and Donald Trump is running as the great defender of that old image. His appeal is to those who fear the coming of a new USA. Those who have lost their jobs in the new economy want to go back to the old way. The Christian right is supporting the immoral Donald because he offers them their continue place at the top of the power structure. Donald Trump is the last great white hope. Unfortunately Hillary Clinton has been a part of the working of the old power structure for so long that she has a hard time being the champion of the new world that is coming. She speaks on behalf of that new vision, but her long career as part of the old power elite makes many new voters a little less enthusiastic about her. If Donald Trump wins, the revolution will continue in the street.
I am not a history scholar enough to know whether or not the coming election in
the United States of America is the most important election in history, but I think the United States stands at an incredible turning point.
For a very long time the United States has had this vision of itself. It has passed along the self-image of a country that was a Christian nation, a nation that was blessed because it was elected by God as a Christian people. It has added to that image the supporting myth that it was a country blessed because it was lead by wise white male leaders. The founding fathers were all wise white men. The country was built by the wisdom and business acumen of white people. The country perpetuated the notion of its virtue and innocence by keeping out of its textbooks the crimes against Native Americans, the crimes of exploitation of South America, and the middle east oil. This was a magnificent country with a self image of white power and privilege that had accomplished its economic prosperity with the blessing of God.
The current election may be the last great battle to hold on to that crumbling image. The image is crumbling. The cracks in the image are beginning to open to wide to hold together. The old myth of our white power and privilege is under attack by a rising number of forces. The growing number of legal people of Hispanic ancestry. The report is that more than half of the children born in California are of Hispanic heritage. The number of Latin American legal and illegal immigrants may be tapering off but their presence must be acknowledge. The visibility and demand for equal treatment as a religion by the Muslims means that we can no longer pretend that all of our citizens are Christians. The separation of church and state means that government and society have to acknowledge the Muslims have as many rights as the Christians.
The Christian unity is being slowly weakened by the rise in the number of “nones” and the decline in the power of the main line Christian Church. The rise of the harsh religious conservatives is a response to the fear of losing Christians dominance in the culture and they are struggling to maintain the myth. The white power institution may be trying to maintain its grip on the power by the police’s attempt to keep blacks in their place by shooting many. Black lives matter is the refusal to continue to allow white privilege to go unchallenged. Women are beginning to speak up and demand equal pay for equal work. The impact of ever changing technology that puts many out of work is changing the way we work. The demand for a higher minimum wage is a response to the widening gap in wealth that pays “old white men” way more than they are worth. If those CEO are so wonderful why do we keep having to bale out the saving and loan industry, the real estate industry, the auto industry, the banking industry?
The Old White Male dominated Christian image of ourselves is being attacked and Donald Trump is running as the great defender of that old image. His appeal is to those who fear the coming of a new USA. Those who have lost their jobs in the new economy want to go back to the old way. The Christian right is supporting the immoral Donald because he offers them their continue place at the top of the power structure. Donald Trump is the last great white hope. Unfortunately Hillary Clinton has been a part of the working of the old power structure for so long that she has a hard time being the champion of the new world that is coming. She speaks on behalf of that new vision, but her long career as part of the old power elite makes many new voters a little less enthusiastic about her. If Donald Trump wins, the revolution will continue in the street.
