|
Jesus wasn't an American, so never waved the flag. God did not bless America any more or less than God did anywhere else. Jesus never said word one about abortions or homosexuality, but that is the mainstay of the right-wing religious Republican nuts out there. Jesus never asked to be worshipped, but that people follow his example of being kind and respectful to everyone.
Have to say this is feeling more and more like the precursor to WWII. In the early 19-teens's and 20's, German national debt and unemployment grew, and they invaded other countries. The German people were very poor but rather than pay attention to their political problems, they distracted themselves with other interests. (German folk song clubs were all the rage.) It was just easier to elect people into power who seemed to have answers rather than do anything themselves. Of course it culminated in Hitler's rise to political prominence.
Hitler only rose to power because of German nationalism. Poor, unempowered people living vicariously through aggressive government. The Germans saw themselves as above everyone else because of their high "values" due to their Aryan roots.
I think what we're seeing in America is that same kind of vicarious living through aggressive government. But we can't claim to all have the same racial roots--we're not all Aryan, that's for sure. But we can pretend we all come from Puritan roots because so many of the nation's founders were descended from the Puritans. So rather than ethnic nationalism, we are in the beginnings of a religious nationalism.
What is our only hope? First, we must must continue to speak out! for injustice when ever we see it. But if we speak out angrily, we'll never persuade those who might be made to give a damn. We'll only alienate (and disenfranchise) people right into the arms of the leaders who say they'll take care of you.
MLK was right when he said that "We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force."
The right wing is working from physical force, not soul force, no matter how much they try to wrap it in religion language in these Orwellian times. But do not confuse the two. Religion isn't nationalism, and that's what we're seeing today.
Thoughts?
|