I have never felt this way before. The nation I call home, the United States of America, is ill. I am not talking about the pandemic. Our nation has had battles with infectious agents before the current one. And I do not buy that before 2015, our nation was inevitably heading down the path of our present circumstance. But the seeds had been planted long before 2015. The seeds were planted by Watergate. They grew with the scandals that followed, not only those involving our leaders failing us in the management of government but with a sex scandal in the Oval Office. The seeds continued to grow with the nourishment provided by terrorism, made up weapons of mass destruction and, in my view, most significantly with the growing unease of millions that the nation was turning into a minority-majority nation.
What crop have these seeds produced? Again, something not foreign to our history. What we are now harvesting is a return to “Me,” not “We.” A return to “Them.” A return to blame. A return to the feeling that I am being ignored and that “they” are out to get me.
With each prior moment in time characterized by hate, we’ve recovered. The problem with living in the present is that it is hard to see the signs that recovery is on the horizon. Did the citizen of New York in real time see better times ahead during the Civil War? Did the Jews of America in the 1920’s write off Father Coughlin at harmless? I do not know as I cannot talk to them.
Here is what I do know. Human history is worth considering; it has always been worth considering. But history can teach us only so much. And it can also teach us the wisdom of that old saying; that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again.
I have come to certain conclusions that may outrage some. Some people might be surprised. But they are mine and I wish to share them with you.
America is in a terrible state right now, due to millions of “me” Americans.”
America is in danger of collapse due to the presence among us of people who place I before we.
The great experiment begun in 1776, refined in 1787 ad 1791, is in danger of failure and in my view, needs to be rethought; starting with a wholesale rewriting of our Constitution to reflect the modern state of the human being, brought about by technological changes that cannot be reversed.
The common view that millions of Americans felt abandoned, ignored, marginalized and thus turned to Trump is true but remains inexcusable because choosing to express frustration should never take the form of an embrace of a human being who is, was and will always be mentally unstable, inhuman, evil, unfit and unqualified to lead. As an adjunct to this statement, this phenomenon was never about Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative. Trump was and is no more any of these things than is bacon inherently Kosher. He has, did and will stab in the back any of these people if it will serve him.
It is absolutely true that organizations and groups that seek to bring people together, face to face, to tell their stories to each other is a sure fire way to see the humanity in each other. It is absolutely true that humans can only survive together if they see the humanity in one another.
So here’s the dirty little secret I’ve learned in the last 7 years. There is value, honor and legitimacy in conservative philosophy. There is value, honor and legitimacy in liberal philosophy. Eisenhower was a good and decent man. George H.W. Bush was a good and decent man. George W. Bush made terrible mistakes but at his core was a good and decent man. Barry Goldwater was as right wing as one could be but was a good and decent man. Ronald Reagan was a good and decent man. George McGovern was a good and decent man. Barack Obama is a good and decent man.
But no amount of debate, discussion, conversation or “sitting across” from someone will do any good absent an agreement as to a base of facts. I cannot sit across from someone and have a civil conversation if that person insists the earth is flat when I know that is not true.
In summary, in the America I live in today, collapse is inevitable unless and only unless two things change: we learn that community is just as important and often more important than “me,” and “I”; we come to accept a common base of facts as we debate the great issues affecting us all.
In subsequent essays, I will expound on America’s unfulfilled aspirations. I will talk about the foundations of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution. I will refer to the great historians of history; Locke, Rousseau, Aristotle, Plato. And to the later voices of reason, thought and humanity. I will offer ideas for what to do about our present circumstance; a nation filled with hate, lies, Big Lie and cults.
In all of human history, no words, none, zero, nada, have meant more and have more clearly defined what it means to be human than the ones that follow. The fact that they come from a religious tradition is irrelevant; these words stand on their own as saying everything there is to say about the ASPIRATIONAL nature of humanity. Great, honorable, ethical folks who identify as atheists believe these words. If we can get back to these words as our foundation, there is hope. If.
“What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow (later versions: “The Golden Rule”). Hillel
“If I am not for myself, who is for me? And being for my own self, what am I? And if not now, when?” Hillel
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” Lev. 19:18.