Living in 21st Century America is Living in the Past

The old, white men who resist change and seek a return to the dark days of American history are winning. My hope that this would not become a reality was completely crushed on one of our nation’s darkest days of all, June 24, 2022. On this one day, those placed on the Supreme Court to support these old, white men and their hatred of the First, Fourth, 14th, and 19th Amendments forced women to return to their position as third-class citizens.

50 Years Later Women are Once Again Under Attack from The Right

A nearly 50-year-old decision by a respected and less biased Court was overturned by the most political five men and one woman in America’s history. They destroyed the most important intent of our Founding Fathers, to prevent the Court from being influenced by any political party. This was their reason for not placing term limits on the justices, giving them lifetime appointments. Big mistake.

Republicans Began to Move our Nation Backward in 1981

America stopped moving forward in 1981. Every right-wing president elected in 1980 and after is responsible for moving the United States backward, while the rest of the developed nations moved forward. In between Republican failures, Bill Clinton, Barrack Obama, and now Joe Biden attempted to reverse this trend and move our people bravely forward into a nation composed of acceptance, compassion, and pride for the changes anticipated by our Founding Fathers the day they signed the Constitution in 1789. However, negative philosophies and actions are often stronger than positive efforts designed to enhance the quality of life for all, not just a few. Negative politicians play upon the uninformed; those who harbor emotions of unjustified anger, hatred, and extreme prejudice.

2016: A Year of Infamy and a Rigged Election

The truth is that in 2016 the worst of America, men, and women who had been hiding in the shadows for eight years, recognized a leader in Donald John Trump. He not only shared their beliefs in white supremacy, homophobia, xenophobia, anti-Semitism, and misogyny, he became their leader who, if elected, would have the most powerful position in our government. He would be able to move America backward and end the progressive policies of his predecessors once and for all. Thanks to Russia, James Comey, and the Mainstream Media, Trump was gifted the Electoral College.

Free Thought is Guaranteed by the Constitution, But Few Use It

A human being’s greatest gift, far above everything else given to us at birth, is the ability to think independently: to learn by accepting facts as the truth with the use of nothing more than basic intelligence. Free thought allows us to grow and become more spiritual as we expel negative thoughts and emotions from our minds, and eventually our lives.

However, if we remain in a cult-like existence, if we choose to associate exclusively with a group whose thought process resists growth, and ignores facts, choosing to harbor anger and hatred, and accept bigotry as a lifestyle, free thought is not allowed, and we devolve and never evolve. This is where at least 40 percent of all Americans exist today.

A Nation of Ignorance

With a refusal to grow, brain cells literally wither and die. They are replaced by resistance to the fact, and the acceptance of alternative truths. Now, weakened by chosen ignorance, these people need a leader to tell them how to live and what to believe. This is where we are today, a nation divided by forward, progressive, free-thinking Americans, and those who offer their fealty to Trump and his dark and destructive vision for America’s future.

Consolidating Power One Step at a Time

Throughout history, men who seek power over others begin their quest with the effort to dominate women. Next, come racial minorities and minority groups who are vulnerable. The white male population has privilege and history on their side of the issue, but the natural progression of mankind in an increasingly diverse society, dependent upon immigrants, is destined to defeat their efforts to remake America into an autocratic society.

Move Forward or Die

Men nor nations can remain in one place. They move forward, backward, or completely cease to exist. America is moving backwards.

Every other developed nation in the world has universal healthcare, and free or affordable higher education, offers protection for the rights of women, and encourages and protects voting rights. Only in America is racism acceptable. In America are members of the LGBTQ community treated as pariahs. Only in America is Christianity the only religion accepted by our government and most of its citizens. And only in America is one party allowed to suppress the voting rights of those who oppose one party’s vile and prejudicial agenda.

In Search of Greatness

It has been 62 years since the American people had a strong and charismatic leader. I was a senior in high school when John Kennedy challenged the “Great Bear” as they placed ICBM missiles in Cuba, just 75 miles away from the Florida shoreline. It was Kennedy who fought against the crime lords in our major cities. And it was President Kennedy who united our nation and gave us hope. He was bigger than both parties combined because he had the vast majority of the American people behind him.

This is not meant to criticize or demean the accomplishments of Bill Clinton or Barrack Obama. They faced huge challenges and succeeded. When President Clinton left office on January 20, 2001, our nation’s economy was experiencing a surplus. He undid the failed economic policies of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. When President Obama was sworn into office on January 20, 2009, he was faced with a nation engaged in two unwinnable wars and a near depression, the results of a failed economic policy and a failed foreign policy. President Biden was required to undue failed policies and create new ones to save our nation from a deadly pandemic and a crumbling economy. Trump left office having failed to lead our nation’s people in a time of crisis.

America Needs a Change

However, all three lacked that special quality of President Kennedy. He was one of only a few in our nation’s history to offer feelings of confidence and strength to all Americans.

Not since the “people’s President,” Franklin Delano Roosevelt, or John F. Kennedy has our nation so desperately needed a formidable leader who can unite our people and move us forward into the 21st century. She or he will face an opposition whose only ambition is to end democracy in America and replace it with a fascist regime. Only a great leader can save our nation from extinction.

By James Turnage, Author of “Four More Years”

Sources:

Global News: The rise of white supremacy and its new face in the 21st century
Pew Research: A Century After Women Gained the Right To Vote, Majority of Americans See Work To Do on Gender Equality

Top and Featured Image Courtesy of CJ Oliver‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License