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We are the counterbalance
The reelection of George W. Bush is no historical anomalythe Republicans win more often than not. But this was no Reagan-like landslide: Almost half the country rejected his right-wing agenda. The country is changing
By Michael Nava
An Advocate.com exclusive, posted November 12, 2004
http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/927/927_nava.asp
In the 144 years since Lincoln was elected as the first Republican to the White House, Democrats have only held the office 60 years, while Republicans have held it 84 years. Even this is deceptive, because there have been long periods when Democrats have been virtually shut out. From 1860 to 1932, a period of 72 years, only two Democrats were elected (Cleveland and Wilson) for a total of 16 years. The anomaly is the period between 1932 and 1968, when Democrats actually were in the White House for 28 years. Since 1968 we have reverted to our earlier pattern: Between 1968 and 2004, Democrats have only been in the White House for 12 years (Carters one term, Clintons two.)
The message from this pattern is, this was not the Armageddon election; it was business as usual. While the Democratic Party is strong in many states at the state and local level, its always been a hard road to elect a Democrat president.
What this reminds me of is that this country is, and has been for a long time, culturally conservative. Nor is the Christian right a new phenomenon. Christian fundamentalismreading the Bible literallyis an American invention, and right-wing Christians have always attempted to impose their views politically. The high point of that activism was actually in the 1920s when they managed to get a constitutional amendment passed banning alcohol and when states passed laws outlawing the teaching of evolution (remember the Scopes trial?).
So, again, I think its a mistake to view the election as some kind of turning point.
What is different is not the strength of cultural conservatives and Christians, but that there is now a cultural counterweight to those groups. That counterweight, if we just go by the popular vote for president, includes almost half the country. We are the counterweightnot just some embattled minority.
Depending on the issue (abortion, for example) we are in the majority. The pace of change in the consciousness of the culture has been breathtaking; when I was in college in the early 70s, gays and lesbians couldnt get a license to practice law in California because homosexuality made them morally unfit per se. Until 1974, California had a sodomy law.
Now were talking about gay marriage.
The right is not made up of superhumans. Its made up of a lot of frightened people who want to turn back the clock. But history is inexorable, and the real history of the past few decades, on a social and cultural level, at least, is not the history of right-wing primacy, but of the increase in diversity and sensitivity to and tolerance for difference. That is reflected in, among other things, the incredible gains made by the lesbian and gay rights movement.
Progressive people need to own their power. The more vicious and vocal people on the right may claim that we are not Americans, but thats only true if we agree with them. Lets not.
Langston Hughes wrote in a race context something thats relevant beyond race:
You are whiteyet a part of me, as I am a part of you. Thats American.
Sometimes perhaps you dont want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, thats true!
The election was not the end of anything and not the beginning of anything. Its another day in the struggle to create a different consciousness in a very hidebound culture. What I plan to do is sit down and write a list of 10 things I can personally do to keep the struggle going.
Nava is an attorney and a novelist.
The reelection of George W. Bush is no historical anomalythe Republicans win more often than not. But this was no Reagan-like landslide: Almost half the country rejected his right-wing agenda. The country is changing
By Michael Nava
An Advocate.com exclusive, posted November 12, 2004
http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/927/927_nava.asp
In the 144 years since Lincoln was elected as the first Republican to the White House, Democrats have only held the office 60 years, while Republicans have held it 84 years. Even this is deceptive, because there have been long periods when Democrats have been virtually shut out. From 1860 to 1932, a period of 72 years, only two Democrats were elected (Cleveland and Wilson) for a total of 16 years. The anomaly is the period between 1932 and 1968, when Democrats actually were in the White House for 28 years. Since 1968 we have reverted to our earlier pattern: Between 1968 and 2004, Democrats have only been in the White House for 12 years (Carters one term, Clintons two.)
The message from this pattern is, this was not the Armageddon election; it was business as usual. While the Democratic Party is strong in many states at the state and local level, its always been a hard road to elect a Democrat president.
What this reminds me of is that this country is, and has been for a long time, culturally conservative. Nor is the Christian right a new phenomenon. Christian fundamentalismreading the Bible literallyis an American invention, and right-wing Christians have always attempted to impose their views politically. The high point of that activism was actually in the 1920s when they managed to get a constitutional amendment passed banning alcohol and when states passed laws outlawing the teaching of evolution (remember the Scopes trial?).
So, again, I think its a mistake to view the election as some kind of turning point.
What is different is not the strength of cultural conservatives and Christians, but that there is now a cultural counterweight to those groups. That counterweight, if we just go by the popular vote for president, includes almost half the country. We are the counterweightnot just some embattled minority.
Depending on the issue (abortion, for example) we are in the majority. The pace of change in the consciousness of the culture has been breathtaking; when I was in college in the early 70s, gays and lesbians couldnt get a license to practice law in California because homosexuality made them morally unfit per se. Until 1974, California had a sodomy law.
Now were talking about gay marriage.
The right is not made up of superhumans. Its made up of a lot of frightened people who want to turn back the clock. But history is inexorable, and the real history of the past few decades, on a social and cultural level, at least, is not the history of right-wing primacy, but of the increase in diversity and sensitivity to and tolerance for difference. That is reflected in, among other things, the incredible gains made by the lesbian and gay rights movement.
Progressive people need to own their power. The more vicious and vocal people on the right may claim that we are not Americans, but thats only true if we agree with them. Lets not.
Langston Hughes wrote in a race context something thats relevant beyond race:
You are whiteyet a part of me, as I am a part of you. Thats American.
Sometimes perhaps you dont want to be a part of me.
Nor do I often want to be a part of you.
But we are, thats true!
The election was not the end of anything and not the beginning of anything. Its another day in the struggle to create a different consciousness in a very hidebound culture. What I plan to do is sit down and write a list of 10 things I can personally do to keep the struggle going.
Nava is an attorney and a novelist.