What we have seen is a new norm arising in America. Fueled by abject Greed and lust for Power and Position/Prestige, those who have that and want more have become very effective at putting the rest of us at odds with one another so that they can continue to get more for themselves.
The old, old story of pitting poor white folk against minorities out of frustration that they are not living the American dream of prosperity and power has worked. Those who are "wannabes" and who are held down, out and back by those in power and wealth, have been fed the lie that it is because of "illegal" immigrants and black folk and the poor that they are not prospering like the wealthy. All the while, these "job creators" send their jobs overseas so that they can make a better profit, and right wing politicians try to blame other politicians for doing so, though their pockets are also lined with the profits gained by their friends in corporate offices.
The newer story of claiming morality on only sexual terms has worked very well for the same folk in power and with wealth. Claiming some religious purity and holiness, family values and moral uprightness, they pit people against each other over issues like homosexuality and abortion, sometimes adding pseudo-Christian ideologies concerning prosperity and the need for "lazy" or "unblessed" folk to get with their program. At election time, the rhetoric flies freely by these politicians who represent those they have propped up with wealth and power, and they stay in their positions because the battle lines have been set over these divisive issues. It has happened time and time again since 1981, because it has been their political strategy since 1981.
What this has done is to legitimize the vitriolic hatred of many in America. They have felt disenfranchised in recent decades because much of the rest of America has been making strides toward inclusion, acceptance and even celebration of LGBT sisters and brothers, the poor, resident aliens in our country, intellectuals (scientists), people of color and those who practice faiths other than evangelical, Protestant Christianity. They have had some of their wealth, prestige and power taken away by the Reprobate politicians who have given it to their cronies and who have scapegoated others for it, which straight, white evangelicals have been duped into believing. They see others being treated better and they see themselves having less influence and relative wealth compared to the others, and they are angry. They were not as visible or verbal before because they knew that America was becoming more tolerant of those they were taught and goaded to hate, and they heard about it if they shared their bigoted thoughts.
Now, under the guise of "religious liberty" (which has really been an attempt to legitimize religious intolerance and even legislate it) and "patriotism" (which is really straight, white evangelical intolerance of anyone different, and supporting an economic system with no limits so that those with the wealth can keep holding it), people have been EMBOLDENED to be publicly hateful, while claiming persecution of themselves. Folk who claim they want less government regulation and influence on the citizenry actively work to get legislation written to control women's bodies, what religious symbols are put in the public realm, and who someone can love or with whom they can cohabitate or marry. People who want a "hands off" business approach by government with no controls or regulation are the first in line for tax breaks and corporate entitlements (welfare), while blaming poor families who receive public assistance for using the system. The wealthy blaming the poor for our nation's deficits, though they pay no taxes while the rest of the nation does. Reprobate politicians blaming those on the other side of the aisle for our woes, while it was them that got the nation into the economic, security, educational, ecological, military and employment hole that we are in, all the while obstructing efforts to get us out of it because they hate our black President. It would be laughable if it were not so frightening. Americans have learned well how to be intolerant, and the people in power and with wealth have kept the flames of hatred burning brightly because it helps them keep what they have ruthlessly obtained on our backs, at our expense.
It is out of fear that hatred is born. This fear is deep-seeded and has been nurtured along by Reprobate politicians who want to keep power and wealth for themselves and those just like them. Old, white men have been the norm in politics for a LONG time, and seeing more women, more people of color, more LGBT folk and people of various faiths get elected was scary for the old white men. Straight, white evangelical Protestants have been the "majority" of power and influence in the nation for a long time. Seeing on TV and on the streets (if they have not yet moved far enough away to insolate themselves from seeing it) people who are different from them normally living their lives without fear and without acknowledging their "superiority" publicly, is frightening to them, because it means they may be losing their footing on their necks.
And fear begets fear. When churches are burned and open carry laws allow folk to stand with a gun anywhere, including a polling place, and unarmed young men and women of color are murdered by the "legitimate" authorities with no consequences, the message is very clear. When people of other faiths have their gathering houses vandalized, shot at and picketed and LGBT folk and religious minorities are beaten, the message is clear. When politicians whose norm used to be to energetically debate one another while acknowledging their collegial relationship and position of service, now call one another liars and worse in public, and the message is clear. When implications of a "rigged" election and then threats of violence over election results are subtly shared by those who encourage open carry and "stand your ground", the message is clear.
The new norm in America is becoming INTOLERANCE, HATRED and VIOLENCE. The new norm in America is dangerously close to becoming FASCIST. Authoritarian, autocratic power is being more highly valued than the democratic process. The entitlement and privilege of the "right" people and intolerance of "those people" is not only the value, but the goal of many.
So, people are afraid of these things and demonstrate, speak, write and vote, I hope. They stand together against the rising tide of intolerance and hatred, I pray. They let go of their differences out of the living of their faith and love for God (not the twisted version that allows intolerance in the name of gods - "Christian" and other) and out of their love for Democracy (not the false, Oligarchic and Plutocratic -even fascist and false, laissez-faire version that allows unchecked abject Greed and lust for Power to rule). They say "Hell No!" to the intolerant America that is the vision of a verbal and visual minority, and say "Yes, Yes!" to the America of Freedom and Liberty for ALL, and America in which ALL are truly Equal and where ALL truly have the SAME OPPORTUNITIES because NONE have been held down, back or out.
So, how will you fare in this New Norm?
How will all of the people you love be affected by it?
If you love God and Neighbor, love Democracy, civility, justice, equality, equitable treatment of all and peace-
What will YOU say?
What will YOU do?
I suggest that you answer those questions NOW, for silence in the face of injustice and oppression, is compliance with injustice and oppression.
Pastor Jamie
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