On Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 3:03:28 PM UTC+1, Emeagwali, Gloria (History) wrote:
American Republicans of old, routinely shouted from the roof tops, that the US was the greatest country ever to appear on the face of the earth. The country surpassed any other nation state on the planet, in its good fortune, superior economy and political stability, they boasted. Some even concluded that the country was divinely inspired and blessed, and that its mission was to rule the world and teach less fortunate nations how to prosper and run a successful economy. American manifest destiny was written in the stars, they claimed, and those ingrates who were complaining about income inequality, racism, high credit card debt, sexism, ageism, police brutality and inadequate living wages were delusional loafers and complainers who should simply pull themselves up by their bootstraps - and get a life.
But critics of that era, some of whom were mainstream Democrats, accused the Republicans of being delusionary ideologues. Their rose-colored narrative was hyperbole wrapped up in mysticism and nonsensical jingoism, they pointed out. For them, a more cautious pragmatic approach was needed, to fix the ills in society and take corrective measures to improve on a somewhat imperfect socio-economic arrangement.
Well that was then- before the Trumpian "Republican" revolution turned the old fashioned tenets and propositions, upside down and - on their head. The current narrative of the ( neo) Republicans is that the country is not great but is actually in tatters. It has lost its magic touch. It is not a shining city on the mythical hill and it has to be saved from "hell" and damnation. Donald Trump and his band of devoted followers would save the country from the nefarious alien forces that brought it to its knees- "to make America great again" and take the country back, wall by wall. Ironically enough, Republicanism is now associated with a philosophy of doom, gloom and potential redemption.
In contrast, "the greatest country on earth" narrative now has among its fervent supporters, the very group of politicians that spurned it in years gone by, namely, Clintonian /Obama Democrats, now caught up in a vortex of political acrobatics, praise singing and "greatest country in the world" palaver. We are witnessing a veritable political circus.
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Gloria Emeagwali's Documentaries onAfrica and the African Diaspora
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