Thoughts on Jeff’s Post

In a lengthy Facebook post, February 5, Jeff Alworth expressed, “something like trauma over the past 13 months as I grieved for American democracy  .  .  .  But for the first time I’m hopeful that the forces of equality, democracy, and justice may at least fight on the way down.  I’ll be there with them.”

While I share my friend’s alarm over the current, ominous threat to our democracy, I take heart in a truth, which Liberals like Jeff and I may overlook: Demographically and politically, the classic Caucasian, Male-dominated America culture is dying breed.  And they know it!

As backdrop and perspective to this Conservative conundrum, in The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump a white female complains, “I want my country back.”  In his warmup to the January 6 seditious insurrection, President Donald Trump told his MAGA mob “if you don’t fight like hell, you are not going to have a country anymore.”  Which “country?”

I’ve blogged, but it bears repeating, the roots from which that lady’s and Trump’s alarm grow reach down decades.  “On the heels of the Great Depression and WWII, Americans had a bellyful of pain and poverty.  It was time for peace and plenty.  Nineteen forty-five promised a bungalow for every family, a Ford or Chevy in every garage, a good job for Dad, an electric stove and refrigerator for Mom, and nice schools for lily-white ‘Boomers’ (kids.) The miracle of television brought ‘Father Knows Best,’ ‘Leave it to Beaver,’ ‘Ozzy and Harriet,’ ‘Mayberry RFD,’ ‘Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C.’ to every home.

Then, suddenly, the picture went out-of- focus.  (In 1967) ‘The Graduate’ introduced ‘plastic.’  Hippies, Viet Nam, and Civil Rights erupted.  The ‘coloring’ of America began.  It turns out Father didn’t necessarily know best, Gomer was gay, even the Nelsons weren’t like ‘The Nelsons.’”

What terrorizes the Conservative Old Guard is that “coloring of America!”  Quoting myself gain, but important to remember, “From 1620 to 1776 to 1865 to 1945 to 1975 to this instant, incrementally, sometimes abruptly, the Land of the Free changes.  A white page becomes a collage: black, brown, yellow, red.  Not just skin color, ethnics, linguistics, and lifestyle.  LGBTQs are ‘out.’  Kids have two dads or two moms.  More than half of cohabiting American couples are unmarried.  Single parent families, more often than not a single Mom, are disturbingly common.”  (A personal note, growing up without a Dad I wonder, where in hell are the Fathers?)

So, increasingly outnumbered, knowing they can’t win at the ballot box; the Old Guard Republican establishment feels terrified and compelled to cheat!  Not surprisingly, the man who cries “rigged election” loudest blatantly works to “overturn” that very election.  

But, in Lincoln’s words, those who, cling to “The dogmas of the quiet past,” can never win!  That what the political Right Wing sees and is terrified of is, Right, Left, or Center, the only constant is change!  Those who fight against change, who fight against the Coloring of America, would hold back a rising tide.  In the end they must find a place on shore or drown.

I’m hopeful, Jeff, that we may not have to “fight on the way down.” 

A sidebar: Attorney General Merrick Garland’s FBI’s putting thousands of photos and videos under a magnifying glass to ferret out and prosecute Trump’s poor, dumb, MAGA foot soldier, while their Commander in Chief runs free to spread his lies and vitriol, is upside down and maddening.