Today I’m detouring from writing about the subjects I started this blog to muse about. And as I now start my clickety-clacketying on the keyboard, I’m not sure whether this post will be super-depressing, mildly hopeful, or somewhere in between. I’ll be happy if it doesn’t put you to sleep. Low bar I set for myself. Or maybe that’s a high bar. You be the judge.
Past is prologue
I am a student of the whole of American history. Likewise, tho I’m a doofus on oh, so many some things, current events in the United States — and frankly, in much of the world — during my lifetime is, I assure you, most definitely not one of them. I’m a voracious reader on these subjects. Lots of FIRE bloggers recommend not reading the news. I do not subscribe to that philosophy at all. However, the standards I set for what media I consume are exceptionally high. I am a self-avowed news snob. Cable news for example, I consider at best to be a waste of time. Too often, it’s also harmful for the national discourse.
Also, as I’ve explained many times on this blog, I’m no spring chicken. So, I’ve seen and experienced some stuff. And I am not talking about keeping up with the Kardashians. I am proud to say, Dear Reader, that I generally have not kept up with them.
I mention all this to set some context for my thesis for this article: this past week will go down as one of the worst in American history, especially during a time when the nation was not engaged in an all-consuming war. I also think it’s no stretch to extrapolate that sentiment to all of 2020. I think a a lot of Americans will agree with that. This article, published on the day I started writing this post, paints a pretty full picture of what’s going on. I can’t recall ever having read a sadder, more heartbreaking article. And this video, as much as anything I have seen or experienced in my lifetime, absolutely ripped my typically hard heart to shreds.
America, Dear Reader, is having a rough go of it. That, you will not be faulted for thinking, is a gross understatement. I assure you that I’m showing much restraint.
COVID-19 has upended all of our lives. It’s not only caused tragic deaths and other suffering on a massive scale, but resulted in completely sound governmental measures to address the virus that have the terrible side-effect of resulting in widespread unemployment, business failures, and other economic hardship. It’s also led us all to shelter in place and social distance, thus stymieing our primal need to be social beings.
And just as we were making some progress in tackling that crisis, senseless and violent acts perpetrated against African-Americans around the country have trained the national spotlight on the pernicious, and in far too many areas, institutionalized racism that exists in America. That spotlight is —and absolutely should be — ever-present because of the country’s original sin of slavery and the legacy of it. But it sadly has been ignored and most certainly not fully — much less adequately — confronted and addressed.
Major fault lines in American society are now clearly on display. No less important, so too is their depth. Like a major gash that has cut through to the bone, this is extremely painful.
That need not be an entirely bad thing. As with a major gash, the national crises we’re facing warrant one response: recognition of the problems and their severity, honest (even (indeed, especially) if painful) confrontation of them, and swift implementation of effective action. This is where I have hope.
2020 vision
Rahm Emanuel once famously said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that [is] it’s an opportunity to do things that you think you could not before.” I admit to not being the biggest Rahm fan. But on this point, I agree with him 100%.
One of the more important things that’s traditionally set America apart from the rest of the world is that the country is a nation of innovators and problem solvers. Heck, we’re the unequaled champs of finding problems where no one even thought there was a problem to begin with.
Sure, other countries have these types, too. Sometimes in large numbers. But not to the depth and breadth as in the United States. And not within a political and legal ecosystem that can, when administered fairly, allow these people to realize the full potential of their dreams.
So we’re well-positioned to find solutions to the many problems we face. The impediment may be fully and honestly assessing and discussing the challenges. That, sadly, has been the insurmountable roadblock for generation after generation after generation. No more so than in these highly politically polarized times we’re in.
I’m hopeful that through the personally painful experiences so many Americans have gone through this year, and the terrible images we’ve seen on screens and elsewhere, there’s a heightened degree of empathy, sympathy, and anger sufficient to result in positive action.
I want to be clear that I am absolutely not ashamed of my country, as seems on occasions like this to be something fashionable to say. Far from it. I don’t just think the United States is a great country, I think it’s the greatest country. That is in no small part precisely because of the First Amendment and our consistent ability to make progress toward becoming a more perfect union. Yes, sometimes we take a step back. Occasionally, like in 2020, big, multiple steps. But we get back on the path and keep moving forward.
Indeed, I’m a deeply proud American. But that in no way blinds me to the fact that we’ve got problems. In fact, it makes me more desirous of wanting to admit those problems so that we can effectively address them. Also, I’ll take our problems over those in the vast majority of countries around the world any day.
Times like these have brought out the very best of America. And shown what makes us great. The Civil War gave rise to the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution as well as the rapid ascent of the country as a major economic and world power. The unrest and unrestrained, unfair capitalism of the late 18th and early 19th centuries gave rise to reforms that benefited all Americans. And WWII gave rise to a post-war order that not only greatly benefited Americans but also the world (and yes, I fully recognize that the last 75 years have by no means been a period of peace). None of these results came without a litany of unfulfilled promises. But like I mentioned, a few steps backward, and more steps forward.
Crisis communication
So let’s heed Rahm’s words. Acknowledge the terrible problems, and peacefully and productively protest to shine the spotlight on them even more. Admit to their horrible consequences and think about solutions to resolve them. Counter the efforts of the no good people trying to keep the status quo and call them out when the opportunity arises. And put in the hard work necessary work address our very bad situation so that we all have a truly equal ability to enjoy our inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
