Political Misunderstanding Of The Mothering-Nurturing-Compassionate Aspect Of Our Lives
On Mother’s Day 2015, I’m painfully aware of a great dichotomy of political opinion regarding the strengths of this country. We might all assert to be “Patriotic Americans!” Of course!
Some will point to the “undisputed fact” that “We’re The Good Guys!” Didn’t we defeat the Nazis, and come to the rescue of the world? My own loving Son believes that I’m too critical of US Foreign policies. I respect and fully understand his point of view, in that he believes in economic and military power, and with his assigned role as Protector, defending US is primary, BUT,
As a Mother, my focus is more on the wellbeing of the whole Human Family, not just a few sub-segments, of it. After all, the United States of America is just one Member of this global Human Family. We assert to be the most powerful, because we hold, and will not relinquish, the power to respond militarily to any asserted threat that our militarily minded leaders may perceive.
This literally scares the hell outta me! Why is negotiation and seeking non-military solutions considered wimpish and subject to criticism? I am so concerned that, in the absence of, or the ineffective presentation of a coherent model of World Power that is non-military, we Americans will fall prey (let-us-prey?) to the “Military Industrial Complex” of which Dwight Eisenhower warned us, and in the din of electoral politics, in this “best democracy that money can buy,” might choose to confront adversity, as-in: “the Christians against the Muslims” with insanity!
Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, I fear that Dr. Strangelove might be convincingly more powerful. The basic primitive response to perceived aggression is “us against them,” wholly disregarding our thousands of years of Human history and the wisdom gained thereby. Corliss Lamont, a Patriotic Champion of Civil Liberties, wrote in 1952, pamphlets discussing US Foreign Policies, and titled one pamphlet: “Are We Being Talked Into War?” This man saw the dangers of commitment to military “solutions” in response to perceived or imagined threats as insanity, way back then!
Here’s a bit of history that is not often discussed for the general public. Perhaps is academic circles it may be clinically diagnosed, but any finding produced thereby have not filtered into general knowledge by our populace, especially potential voters. This is my biggest scare.
I fear that passionate Nationalism with all of its fearful implications will become the official US stance on the world scene, if not properly grounded in some motherly attention to history.
Let it begin with technology. Human creativity and ingenuity has brought us to an amazing never before moment in our human evolution. We now have the power to cause the extinction of this whole human experience! Poof! In a series of nuclear blasts, you know…the “Mushroom shaped cloud” bit! Nothing left but, maybe the cockroaches. ON THE OTHER HAND…..tada, we now have, thanks to technology, PEOPLE POWER! We human beings can communicate with EACH OTHER! Maybe, we can get it together, in the best interest of human survival?
Come sit by my knee, and let me tell you a story. It began, way back in the late 1800s, when the compassionate scholarship of some important whistle-blowers of the time, saw that the powerful industrial revolution that was going-on, didn’t filter down to the workers! The great potential for human betterment was being short-stopped at the paycheck, and was overflowing the coffers of the investors! WOW! What a shocking assertion! Of course, this accusation didn’t sit well with the investors, the bankers, and the corporations that promoted the industrial revolution. It literally sacred the hell-outta-them! The whole point of their investment was…guess what? It was to make money! If there were any altruistic aspects of their investment, they were usually sacrificed on the alter of profit-making, by decisions of the powerful. So, naturally, in their own best interests, they must oppose this mistaken conspiracy at all costs! And indeed, they did.
Ever since, in one form or another, the attempt to thwart, deride, propagandize, oppose, any move by the Workers to gain respect and a more equitable share of the profit, has succeeded!
You may be old enough to have experienced the Red Scare right here in the good ‘ol US of A? No? You haven’t heard of the Palmer Raids? How about Socialists elected-into office by New York Voters, who were refused entrance to the NY Legislature, because of their “foreign” beliefs? How about tales of the “Evil Empire” and fearsome Socialism? Totalitarianism? What about the House Un-American Activities Committee to root out the cancer of communism in our communities, then even worse, Joseph McCarthy who saw a “commie” under every bed?
I’ll tell you, the powers that be have really done a number on the concept of equitable treatment of workers and of human beings in general, even respect for planet Earth, to convince us that we Earthlings are not worthy of better treatment and humane considerations for our health and wellbeing, for the safety and happiness of our families, for fair treatment of all of us humans regardless of our heritage. Many workers, to this day, will automatically respond negatively to the word “socialism” This is almost a kneejerk reaction, with head shaking, disapproving of any ideas of those foreign ideas. Alas, our workers are in desperate need of the best ideals of the Socialist economic ideals. Workers of the World Unite! That was the battle cry in the 1900s! They didn’t unite, and the battle still rages. Socialism does NOT mean totalitarianism! Instead, it is a concept that is humanitarian and of benefit to the People. It is only when governments are fierce and controlling in protecting ITSELF, rather than the rights of its own People!
Because the average American voter, who may not be aware of our own history, or steeped in the lore of equality and justice, and identify with the history of the people’s attempt to have a stronger voice in decisions made in this country, we might be vulnerable to a strong backlash surge of militaristic nationalism in an upcoming election, in which the ideals of “America First” might prevail. This could usher us into a world of fascism that could make the Nazi’s look like Boy Scouts in comparison. Never mind Europe; some fanatics envision Global domination. Don’t we have a military finger in every pie on the face of this Earth? Maybe, a finger in the EYE of almost every Human? This is truly a fearful prospect. We need a peaceful Earth.
In the 1930s, in Germany, the ideals of Socialism and of Communism were in opposition, with adherents of each party competing fiercely, rather then articulating and presenting a coherent and comprehensive vision to appeal to the voters of Germany, they were pretty much rejected as a source of wisdom and power, almost like “You trouble making foreigners go home to the USSR!” It was into this absence of a coherent articulation of the ideals of socialist society, that a powerful surge of German Nationalism arose. Germany Uber Alles! This led to the Nazi power.
It’s still Mother’s Day 2015. I worry about all the kids on the face of this Earth who will benefit from a Humanistic approach to the complex problems on this Planet. Military power will not bring safety, respect, equality, civil liberties, health care, education, food and shelter. Human concerns are more closely aligned with the social aspects of the Humanist philosophy and must not be feared. We’re social beings; we’ve evolved from compassionate ancestors: MOTHERS!
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