The Grand Illusion

THE GRAND ILLUSION: WE ARE LIVING IN A POST-RACIAL AMERICA.

The Gettysburg Address-November 19, 1863

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.  Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.  But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground.  The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.  The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.  It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Yesterday in class, we tried to define the word crisis in light of "A New Birth of Freedom" and the possibility that the "reunited" United States could truly pursue "All Men are Created Equal"  and begin a "New Birth of Freedom in Reconstruction"...or return to a country of  "A Few Men are Created Equal" defined by anger, bitterness, hatred, racism, "White Power", Jim Crow violence...and ridiculous "scientific" and Hitler-like eugenics/ "race" categories.

Crisis: A tipping point decision that can lead to positive or negative consequences.

IMO...both the Union and Confederacy allowed themselves/ chose to ignore the real truths of the Civil War (why it was fought...what the results should be...), developed a "Noble Cause" and positive memories of the war, and settled on reconciliation/ reunion in order to keep a firm grip on white economic and political power.

"The New Birth of Freedom" in a "Second America" (1865- ca. 1945) had failed to live up to our principles and ideals.

It is quite clear that as we continue to systematically define our "genetic differences" (U.S. Census Bureau) by race...divide ourselves by neighborhoods...sit at different lunch tables...hate others for the color of their skin...espouse "tolerance and open-mindedness, etc." instead of love...

Their are still many jellyfish to kill!

Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don’t act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are or what they look like.