I have been trying to think through what the points of view are
that divide us politically and socially, especially since our
political rhetoric so easily confounds the issues. In earlier posts,
I suggested that one of the differences was between those of us
who are basically conservative, who are reluctant to change,
and those who are more progressive, willing to try something new.
Another difference is between a desire to regulate human behavior,
and a desire to allow as much human freedom as possible: liberals.
Oddly, the same people who want to regulate human behavior
seem to think economic activity should not be regulated.
I have also been thinking about what it means to call ourselves
"American"; that is to say, what it is we understand we have
in common that makes us a people, and not just a collection.
The "Birther" movement makes it clear that something is at stake.
It is not just the claim that Barack Obama was actually born
in Kenya. That is not just absurd: it is ignorant and perverse.
The facts are perfectly clear; not even worth serious argument.
But behind the claim is something really serious. It is the denial
that Barack Obama really is one of us. What is that about?
Obama, like many of us recently, and like almost all of us
not-so-recently, had a parent born somewhere else. Truly,
even though we are a nation of immigrants, we have very often
had nasty attitudes toward immigrants. But Obama is also Black.
So, in his case, two negative attitudes come together: an
immigrant's son, and Black. Nobody wants to say it, but
we still behave as if "some people" really don't belong here.
That's odd, of course. We all came here from somewhere.
Even the "Native" Americans immigrated, although a long time ago.
Some Americans are quick to say that Blacks should go back
to Africa, or Asians back to Asia. We want and need labor
from Latin America, but we don't think they belong here.
There are serious efforts, right now, to deny citizenship to
children born here, even though it is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Earlier, that was a way to assure Blacks that they really belonged
here, even if their parents were slaves, forcibly brought here.
Clearly, that is an opinion still fighting for its life.
"Go back to where you came from!", or "Love it or leave it!",
is a slogan often heard when we have political of social disputes.
It used to be the case that Protestants were not sure that
Catholics could possibly be genuine Americans. Now, Christians
are not sure that Muslims can be genuine Americans.
We have almost never tolerated the notion of electing officials
if they were not religious; not just religious, but Episcopalian
of Presbyterian religious, or later, Methodist of Baptist religious.
In many places, Jews still have difficulty being accepted
as genuine Americans.
Everywhere we look we see reluctance and doubt about
who is genuinely American, who belongs here, and who we
really are, as Americans. Until we stop secretly assuming that
we are the only legitimate kind of Americans (whoever we are),
we will not be able to foster a common good, a common sense
that we belong to each other, and need to care for each other.
Until we do, we will continue to hate to pay taxes, hate to
help people who cannot help themselves, and blunder our way
past creating a sense of belonging to a wonderfully diverse
nation. We aren't ever going to be a monolithic culture.
Everywhere, monolithic cultures are learning to live in the world.
Norwegians are not all white, anymore. Catholics do not all
marry Catholics, nor Jews, Jews. We are not all religious.
"Guess who's coming to dinner!" Guess who your kids choose
to live with! Guess what color your grandchildren will be!
Guess it's time to look around, and be honest.
that divide us politically and socially, especially since our
political rhetoric so easily confounds the issues. In earlier posts,
I suggested that one of the differences was between those of us
who are basically conservative, who are reluctant to change,
and those who are more progressive, willing to try something new.
Another difference is between a desire to regulate human behavior,
and a desire to allow as much human freedom as possible: liberals.
Oddly, the same people who want to regulate human behavior
seem to think economic activity should not be regulated.
I have also been thinking about what it means to call ourselves
"American"; that is to say, what it is we understand we have
in common that makes us a people, and not just a collection.
The "Birther" movement makes it clear that something is at stake.
It is not just the claim that Barack Obama was actually born
in Kenya. That is not just absurd: it is ignorant and perverse.
The facts are perfectly clear; not even worth serious argument.
But behind the claim is something really serious. It is the denial
that Barack Obama really is one of us. What is that about?
Obama, like many of us recently, and like almost all of us
not-so-recently, had a parent born somewhere else. Truly,
even though we are a nation of immigrants, we have very often
had nasty attitudes toward immigrants. But Obama is also Black.
So, in his case, two negative attitudes come together: an
immigrant's son, and Black. Nobody wants to say it, but
we still behave as if "some people" really don't belong here.
That's odd, of course. We all came here from somewhere.
Even the "Native" Americans immigrated, although a long time ago.
Some Americans are quick to say that Blacks should go back
to Africa, or Asians back to Asia. We want and need labor
from Latin America, but we don't think they belong here.
There are serious efforts, right now, to deny citizenship to
children born here, even though it is guaranteed by the Constitution.
Earlier, that was a way to assure Blacks that they really belonged
here, even if their parents were slaves, forcibly brought here.
Clearly, that is an opinion still fighting for its life.
"Go back to where you came from!", or "Love it or leave it!",
is a slogan often heard when we have political of social disputes.
It used to be the case that Protestants were not sure that
Catholics could possibly be genuine Americans. Now, Christians
are not sure that Muslims can be genuine Americans.
We have almost never tolerated the notion of electing officials
if they were not religious; not just religious, but Episcopalian
of Presbyterian religious, or later, Methodist of Baptist religious.
In many places, Jews still have difficulty being accepted
as genuine Americans.
Everywhere we look we see reluctance and doubt about
who is genuinely American, who belongs here, and who we
really are, as Americans. Until we stop secretly assuming that
we are the only legitimate kind of Americans (whoever we are),
we will not be able to foster a common good, a common sense
that we belong to each other, and need to care for each other.
Until we do, we will continue to hate to pay taxes, hate to
help people who cannot help themselves, and blunder our way
past creating a sense of belonging to a wonderfully diverse
nation. We aren't ever going to be a monolithic culture.
Everywhere, monolithic cultures are learning to live in the world.
Norwegians are not all white, anymore. Catholics do not all
marry Catholics, nor Jews, Jews. We are not all religious.
"Guess who's coming to dinner!" Guess who your kids choose
to live with! Guess what color your grandchildren will be!
Guess it's time to look around, and be honest.
Comments
Post a Comment