GET READY FOR THE 2023 ELECTIONS IN WASHINGTON COUNTY

 

“Your day-to-day involvement with local government matters far more than a referendum on the White House every four years.” Michelle Wu

Next year will permit most of the country to recover from a demanding 2022 midterm election season. Pennsylvanians will be spared another eleven months of continuous campaign ads.  However, there will be little time to turn away from politics in Washington County. In 2023, the Commissioners and a majority of the other county officials will be standing for election. What makes the 2023 election season of special interest to local voters is the subject of this commentary.

To understand what is at stake, four groups of election players must be considered. First are the traditional Democrats, led by minority Commissioner Larry Maggi.  His position in winning reelection next November is the most secure. However, if his party is unable to elect another Democrat to serve with him, his influence will remain limited, outflanked by two Republican Commissioners. The Republican majority in  voter registration makes a Democratic sweep highly unlikely, unless Democrats are able to reverse recent trends.

Second are the traditional Republicans, led by Commissioner Chairman Diana Irey Vaughan. Four years ago her party gained control of county government for the first time in decades. Her political future appeared secure. Diana Irey Vaughan is a stanch conservative, but she believes in practical leadership over right wing ideology. Today, an insurgent group of Republicans who seek to remove her from office have weakened her position.  If she runs for reelection, the Republican Primary for Commissioner will be a raucous affair.

Third are the local MAGA Republicans, self-styled as “patriots.” This group’s leaders now manage the county Row Offices. These elected officials show no allegiance to Commissioner Irey Vaughan notwithstanding that she was instrumental in placing them in office four years ago. They plan to run their own slate of candidates who favor the positions of the former president.

The insurgent complaint against Irey Vaughan is that she has not replaced many political appointments and county civil servants with MAGA Republicans. Most importantly, Irey Vaughan never supported the local “stop the steal” movement, which includes replacing all of the county’s voting machines.  Lastly, Irey Vaughan has backed the county court system and the President Judge through several contentious disputes regarding court administration.

Fourth are the individuals in key positions appointed by Irey Vaughan and other long-serving county civil servants. These employees have faithfully kept local government running like a well-oiled machine. Unfortunately, they have a short shelf life if MAGA Republicans gain majority control of the commissioner’s office. These positions include County Solicitor, Budget Director, Chief of Staff, Director of the Planning Commission, Director of Elections, Director of the Chamber of Commerce/Tourism Agency and many others. The replacement of these employees, responsible for running important functions, with inexperienced MAGA partisans would cause chaos in local government.  

Republicans in favor of good government should be careful what they wish for. If they replace Irey Vaughn and terminate other key employees, local government will implode. Voters should recall that right wing Republicans captured the Allegheny County commissioner’s office in the early 1990s and attempted similar radical changes. Without dedicated non-partisan employees in key positions, Allegheny County’s municipal bond rating went down and surplus county funds disappeared.  Businesses lost confidence, and basic services could not be delivered. Living and working under such conditions became undesirable.

Another historical example when zealotry was permitted to trump local government will emphasize my point. It takes us to Florence, Italy near the end of the Renaissance. Jerome Savonarola was a Dominican Friar who denounced what he and other religious extremists considered corruption and despotic rule.

In 1494 with the help of the French King, he was able to expel the long ruling Medici family from Florence.  The friar instituted a scorched earth, puritanically Christian campaign to reverse all of the secular beauty that Renaissance artists had brought to Florence. In his famous “bonfire of the vanities”, priceless manuscripts, paintings and sculptures that Savonarola deemed immoral were burned in the public square.

Savonarola's divine mandate soon became a fiasco, and popular opinion turned against him.  Citizens came to understand that the Medici family knew how to govern and that the friar, steeped in religious fervor, but with no leadership abilities, did not. Within five years, it was Savonarola who was burned at the stake and the Medici’s were welcomed back into power.

This tale of those with extreme political views gaining power in local government could easily be repeated in Washington County.  MAGA supporters were recently elected to lead the local Republican Party.  The new Party leadership immediately announced plans to “clean up Washington County” and to “dismantle the Democrat cabal.” These goals are head scratchers in that Republicans have controlled county government for the past four years.

One of the first acts promised by MAGA Republicans, if their commissioner candidates win in November, is to "metaphorically burn” all of the county voting machines on the courthouse steps and return to paper ballots. Local MAGA Republicans have other current policies they are against with few positive plans for governing Washington County.  Like the Florentine friar and his supporters, our local MAGA Republicans are a radical political experiment that we should avoid at all costs.

 

 

 

 

REFORMING CRIMINAL JUSTICE

“Our criminal justice system treats you better if you are rich and guilty than if you are poor and innocent.”

Bryan Stevenson

Fear of criminals and being soft on crime has been a Republican go-to- election issue since the race-baiting “Willie Horton” H.W. Bush commercials during the 1988 presidential campaign. Famously, Republican Bush attacked Democrat Michael Dukakis for permitting convicted murders to receive weekend furloughs from prison.

The campaign use of the criminal justice system again reappeared in the most recent Senate race between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz.  Lt. Governor Fetterman served as chairman of Pennsylvania’s Board of Pardons and called for prison reform.  Oz repeatedly claimed, in attack ads and statements to the press, that his opponent wanted to release criminals from prison making Pennsylvania less safe.

It is interesting how contradictory Republican positions have been when it comes to proposing legislation on criminal justice or in taking actions while in office. During the 2016 presidential primaries, many Republican candidates advanced positions on criminal justice. Their conservative proposals were designed to save taxpayers from paying for expensive prison systems by limiting prison time.

Former President Donald Trump weighed in with prison reform signing into law the 2018 First Step Act. This legislation reduced penalties for crack cocaine offenses and afforded prisoners more opportunities to obtain an earlier release by participating in programs designed to reduce recidivism.

At the end of his term, Trump pardoned a woman sentenced to life after her conviction for cocaine trafficking. (The President’s friend, Kim Kardashian championed her cause.)  In addition, Trump pardoned numerous close allies whom committed crimes in support of his presidency.

Politics aside, criminal justice in America suffers from major systemic problems that require the attention of both political parties. The truth is that it was a concerted bipartisan effort that built our out-of-control prison-industrial-complex in the first place. For several decades, both political parties championed long sentences for minor drug offenses. The over-building of prisons in rural areas became a common pork-barrel project.  How the damage might be repaired is the subject of this commentary.

There is a general consensus that America imprisons too many people for far too long when compared to the rest of the world or even our own history. There are now more people serving life sentences than the total number of prisoners held in U.S. prisons in the early 1970s. Blacks represent 35% of those in state prison for drug possession even though Blacks make up only 13% of the population and use drugs in the same numbers as other racial groups.

High unemployment and government assistance rates, loss of tax revenues and decreased job mobility among former prisoners results in a loss of $87 billion to our annual GNP. The total cost of the American criminal justice system is nearly $1.2 trillion each year. Children of parents who are incarcerated are more likely to live in poverty and suffer from mental health issues.  As an example of the cost to society, states spend more on those sentenced to 10 or more years in prison than they do on K-12 students over 13 school years. 

What is to be done? Experts agree that there are four possible justifications for putting people in prison.  First, is “punishment,” the price for ignoring society’s rules. Second is “incapacitation” or removing from society those who would do us harm. Third is “deterrence,” making would-be criminals think twice before breaking the law. To address these three goals reformers are now examining what the lawbreakers deserve. They ask the question what is a proper criminal sentence. Many beleive that mandatory sentencing laws often do not fit the crime and are out of proportion to the criminal offense.

The fourth justification for jailing individuals, “rehabilitation”, has drawn the most attention of criminal justice advocates. Correctional institutions have done a poor job of “correcting” their populations. The Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics establishes that following release, two-thirds of prisoners are rearrested. While in-prison programs need improvement with updated social science models to reorient those with criminal intent, many believe that preemptive childhood programs are the true answer.  This would include heavy investment in education, housing, health care and jobs.

To combat criminal justice abuses, there is a vocal, progressive contingent that has called for the abolition of much of the criminal justice system. However, most Americans are not in favor of emptying the prisons or defunding the police. In fact, minorities living in urban areas have often called for more police as gun violence escalates.  

There is still much that can be accomplished. The criminal justice system can double-down on rehabilitation efforts. Jail sentences for petty crimes and small-scale drug dealing can be eliminated and replaced with diversionary programs like special drug and mental health courts. Solitary confinement can be eliminated as a punishment tool. The present system of cash bail, which insures that many low-income defendants will languish in jail before having their day in court, can be reformed. Public safety involving the mentally ill can be shifted from the police to qualified mental health professionals. Violence intervention programs to deal with urban gangs can receive more adequate funding.

President Biden has proposed numerous criminal justice reforms.  These programs have little chance of gaining traction in the upcoming divided Congress. It will be left to state and local governments to enact improvements that will make a difference.

 

 

 

 

IN SEARCH OF FELLOWSHIP AND RECONCILIATION

 

“A country is the sense of fellowship, which binds together all the citizens of that territory”

Giuseppe Mazzini

Following a trip to Italy, the celebration of my father-in-law’s 100th birthday and the midterm elections, my thoughts have focused on the importance of fellowship and reconciliation. Fellowship is defined as a community of interest, activity, feeling or experience. It entails the quality of being sociable toward others. Reconciliation is defined as the restoration of friendly relations. When viewed in a political setting, both terms sharply contrast with our present state of engrained tribalism.

Fellowship and reconciliation are established tools for improving social relationships with others. With the holidays approaching and COVID on the wane, Americans will be engaging each other within the larger context of a perilous and bleak world. Rather than anger, fatalism and increasing violence, there is an opportunity to reset the parameters of social interaction. Moving toward fellowship and reconciliation will increase our tolerance of others and place the focus on understanding others rather than being right.

My approach in addressing fellowship and reconciliation will be to discuss several personal encounters. I believe both of these positive ideas were covered up by the social isolation of the pandemic and by misinformation. As a result, there has been the tendency for people to favor information that confirms their personal beliefs, without investigation. If encouraged, human nature is just as likely to favor a return to fellowship and reconciliation.

The Battle of Monte Cassino. My recent trip to Italy included a visit to the historic Benedictine Monastery on the towering hill of Monte Cassino. The monastery was the parent house of Western monasticism and a valuable center of the arts and of learning.

During WWII, the steep hill was located in a strategic position, defended by the Germans. Despite an agreement not to destroy the ancient buildings with their valuable artwork, carpet-bombing by the Allies decimated the monastery. Following four attempts to take the high ground, losses for the Allied forces numbered 105,000, and the Germans suffered 80,000 casualties.

After the war, the abbey was rebuilt as a symbol of peace, following an international appeal.  Contributions were received from all nations that fought in the battle. New stain glass windows were designed to honor each nation that lost combatants, including one non christian window dedicated to Jewish Allied soldiers. The word PAX, inscribed over the main gate, is a reminder that in war “all is lost, in peace, all is gained”.

It is impossible to walk above the clouds of Monte Cassino and not feel the power of fellowship and reconciliation that exists in the face of so much death and destruction. Surely, even the extremes in the American political system can focus on the democratic nation we all want without encouraging the violence that took place on this Italian hilltop.

The American Cemetery in Florence. We visited the American WWII Cemetery and Memorial in Florence, Italy. While much smaller than Normandy, it is a moving tribute. Between the two entrance buildings, a bridge leads to the burial area where the headstones of 4,392 of our military dead are arrayed in symmetrical curved rows upon the hillside. Simple crosses next to those with the Star of David mark the graves. Solders from South Dakota are buried next to comrades from New York, Georgia natives next to those from California.

The feeling of fellowship, of diverse Americans giving their all for a shared purpose to save democracy, is overwhelming. At the next contentious holiday gathering, consider these soldiers before expressing what you oppose and before condemning the positions of others. Take time to listen rather than post angry missives on the internet.

A Family Spiritual Discussion. As we celebrate my father-In-law’s 100^th birthday, I often recall a family gathering at my home when he was in his eighties. Before dinner one evening, this evangelical pastor sat down with my catholic cousin, my Hindu sister-in law and my agnostic self to discuss all things spiritual.

The ideas put forward by each of us found common ground with which we could all agree. I often wish the conversation were recorded. The experience taught me that religious beliefs and political orientation do not need to be all or nothing propositions. Rather than defend individual religions or philosophies, our discussion went deeper into how spirituality could make our lives better. Each of us was rewarded with new ways of looking at the world.

The Midterm Elections. Lastly, the recent elections and their aftermath deserve attention when discussing the possibilities for fellowship and reconciliation. Only weeks ago, the outlook was grim. Trust in national institutions, including our voting system, was at rock bottom. Populist nativism and extreme progressive views dominated the national mood.

The midterm elections have produced some sorely needed fresh air. According to voter polling, sixty percent of Americans believe that the MAGA movement was threatening America’s democratic foundations. Practical, moderate candidates were elected to office from both political parties. The electorate has shifted from favoring media-attention-grabbers to those who want to get stuff done. In the words of columnist, David Brooks: “The fever is breaking.”

To move forward we must all learn to think for ourselves. We must pursue civility and promote good citizenship. We must take part in civic activities that benefit everyone and celebrate elections. Only then will fellowship and reconciliation return to referee our inevitable disagreements.

THE ALLEGORY OF GOOD AND BAD GOVERNMENT

 

“Art is a lie that makes us realize truth” Picasso.

We recently returned from a whirlwind trip to Italy that touched on many of the unique sights this country has to offer. Late October weather delivered cool evenings and warm cloudless days. Our tour group trekked from the Amalfi coast along the Mediterranean Sea to Venice on the Adriatic. All bucket lists were satisfied. Those searching for history, artwork, other worldly photographs, religious imagery, ever-changing regional food and wine, or simply seeking to be enveloped in the homeland of their grandparents were all well rewarded.

On this trip, I looked forward to returning to Siena in Tuscany where I planned to search out a series of three fresco panels painted by Ambrogio Lorenzetti in 1338-1339. This magnificent work located in Siena’s governmental council hall has become known as the “Allegory of Good and Bad Government.” It was commissioned to remind the nine magistrates who governed the Medieval Siena Republic of what constituted proper conduct as they made their executive and legal decisions.  My goal was to determine whether this ancient allegory held lessons for our modern democratic society following a tumultuous election.

As luck would have it, the fresco panels were under renovation and off exhibit. Nonetheless, I learned a great deal about the paintings and the governance of Siena in the fourteenth century. For hundreds of years, this small city-state was able to maintain its status as a democratic republic in the shadow of larger principalities who sought to dominate Siena’s politics, banking and trade. The Battle of Montaperti fought on September 4, 1260 between Florence and Siena saw the more powerful Florentines routed. It was the bloodiest battle fought in Medieval Italy with more than 10,000 fatalities. Each year, Siena commemorates this victory as an important holiday.

Lorenzetti’s “Allegory of Good and Bad Government” is a reminder that good government is characterized by Justice, Concord, Peace and Wisdom while bad government is animated by Division, Avarice, Fury, Vainglory and Tyranny. When good government reigns, all is well. When bad government plagues society, the Tyrant usurps the power of the people, and the citizens suffer.

The majestic figure in the middle of the “good government” panel, dressed in Siena’s colors, personifies the republic itself. Lorenzetti labels him Commune. He is telling the Siena citizens that they, not a king or tyrant, must rule themselves. Justice is enthroned and looking up at the figure of Wisdom, who actually supports her impartial scales.

Concord (or harmony) holds a rope that originates from the scales of Justice that binds her to the citizens, making them all compatriots of the republic. The republic is safeguarded by Security, whose banner reads: “Everyone shall go forth freely without fear.” Finally, we see Peace. She looks serene and confident that the republic is safe. The painting demonstrates the fragile nature of liberty. The precarious balance between state and society, between the political elites and the citizens.

Bad government is displayed on another panel. The Tyrant, not the Commune, rules over the people. He has horns, tusks and crossed eyes. Justice now lies helpless at his feet, in chains. Her equitable scales are destroyed and unable to keep government fair and accountable. 

Around the Tyrant, Lorenzetti paints the vices that animate bad government. Avarice is the old woman behind him, clutching her strongbox and a fisherman’s hook to pull in her fortune. Vainglory carries a mirror. Lorenzetti warns us against narcissistic leaders guided by ego and vanity. On the tyrant’s right, we find Cruelty.

Treason is represented as half lamb, half scorpion. It lulls the people into a false sense of security and then poisons the republic. Fraud is painted  with the flighty wings of a bat. On the Tyrant’s left, Division, who is clothed in Siena’s colors, chops her body in half with a carpenter’s saw. Fury attacks with the weapons of the mob: the stone and knife.

In the remainder of the fresco, Lorenzetti shows us the inevitable effects of bad government. The civic ideals celebrated elsewhere in the room have now been destroyed. The once beautiful city is falling to pieces. The countryside is barren; its farms are abandoned and in flames. In the sky above, the winged figure is not Security, but Fear. Her banner reads: “None shall pass along this road without fear of Death.”

Words cannot do justice to these amazing paintings. They can easily be viewed online to contemplate the power of the allegory.  These 800-year-old images are familiar to us today and bind us to history. We see what  democracy looks like. We experience the effects of good and of bad government in our world, just as Lorenzetti did in his life.

There are lessons here for American democracy that should be considered. Preserving liberty through many generations comes at a price.  Citizens must do more than simply vote once a year. We have to disrupt our own lives with civic activism so that we can prevent the amoral accumulation of power by those who would betray our values.

Last Tuesday, the American people were challenged to raise justice up and to support a constitutional republic over ongoing political tribalism and violence. On November 8, voters chose the path taken by Siena. They rejected the tyranny of election deniers and authoritarian government. Democracy is now on track to achieve a balanced recovery.

   

 

LOCAL WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORY IS FASCINATING

 

As we face the vicissitudes of daily living, it is easy to lose sight of the rich history that surrounds us in Washington County. It is true that our community has gained some well-deserved notoriety from the Whiskey Rebellion and from the archeological rock shelter at Meadowcroft with its colonial village. There is much more to consider. 

Recalling local history and local traditions based on the past help to strengthen our community connections. Numerous local individuals who helped to facilitate the modern transformation of southwestern Pennsylvania reflect the grand scheme of historical change.

Southwestern Pennsylvania was critical to the founding of Colonial America. The area played an important role in the French and Indian War, American Revolution and Civil War. It was an indispensable gateway to the opening of the western frontier. Decades later, the glass works, steel mills, railroads and coal mines were ushered in during the industrial revolution.  These new industries offered employment to thousands of immigrants seeking to live the American dream.

Several fascinating examples of local history have struck me as having national, historical importance in the development of America. This commentary will discuss these events.

The National Road.  I never grow tired of driving Route 40, the original National Road, with its abundance of old homes, taverns, tollbooths and historical battlegrounds. The National Road was built between 1811 and 1834 to reach the western settlements. It was the first federally funded road in U.S. history, built to connect the Potomac and Ohio Rivers. Thomas Jefferson believed that a trans-Appalachian road was necessary for unifying the young country. In 1806, Congress authorized construction, and by 1818 the road was completed from Cumberland to Wheeling. Wagons hauled produce from frontier farms to the East Coast, returning with staples such as coffee and sugar.

To avoid difficulties in construction, the original route proposed by surveyors bypassed established towns such as Uniontown and Washington. Local residents were angered by the choice of route. Secretary of the Treasury, Albert Gallatin, as a former representative in the Pennsylvania Legislature, exchanged letters with local politicians and President Madison. Eventually, Madison decided on a route that included both Washington and Uniontown.  

Forts & Blockhouses.  One of my favorite pastimes as a child in rural New Jersey was going into the woods to build forts with my friends. Local county residents may not be aware that the locations of dozens of frontier forts and blockhouses surround them.  The forts provided protection for settlers from attacks by hostile Native Americans when Washington County was the western frontier.  

Known locations include the following: Dillow’s Blockhouse (Hanover Twp.), Beeler’s Fort (Robinson Twp), McDonald’s Stations/Fort (Robinson Twp.), Burgett’s Blockhouse (Burgettstown), Vance’s Fort (near Cross Creek Village), Hoagland’s Blockhouse (southern Smith Twp.), Cherry’s Fort (Mt. Pleasant), Reynold’s Blockhouse (north of Cross Creek Village), William’s Blockhouse (Mt. Pleasant Twp.), Rice’s Fort (13 miles from Ohio River), Miller’s Blockhouse (Donegal Twp.), Wolf’s Blockhouse (5 miles west of Washington,  Rt 40), Roney’s Fort (Findley Twp.), Ryerson’s Fort (near Green County), Campbell’s Blockhouse (east of Ryerson), Lindley’s Fort (north branch of Ten Mile Creek).

The large number of facilities tells us that before the Revolutionary War, community defense on our frontier was serious business. Pitched battles were documented at several of the locations.

The Underground Railroad.  The efforts of my Quaker abolitionist ancestors have always drawn me to the history of the Underground Railroad. Luckily, Thomas Mainwaring, a local professor and historian, has written an excellent study of the Underground Railroad in Washington County. (Abandoned Tracks, 2018, University of Notre Dame)

Professor Mainwaring establishes that the Scots-Irish Presbyterians of Washington County were among the first in western Pennsylvania to establish an antislavery society. Washington County views on slavery were in sharp contrast with those of Fayette and Greene Counties where sympathies were with the South. Because of Washington’s location, the local flow of escaping slaves was minimal compared with central Pennsylvania where Maryland provided a steady stream of slaves seeking freedom.

Washington County’s most famous abolitionist was Dr. Julius LeMoyne. By 1840 he had become a nationally known figure in the movement to aid escaping slaves. When the first national anti-slavery party formed in 1839 (the Liberty Party), Lemoyne was recruited to run as Vice President in the 1840 election. He refused with the reasoning that the movement was a religious enterprise and should abstain from politics.

Mainwaring identifies sixty Underground Railroad sites in Washington County ranging from the extremely well documented to the highly unlikely. Separating the myths and legends from the historically accurate proved to be a colossal task. The book’s appendix examines each of the possible local Underground Railroad sites in scholarly detail. Fourteen sites earned five stars for convincing proof from several independent sources.  Eleven sites were graded with four stars for only one primary source.

Civil War Generals. A friend who comes to Washington County by way of Belmont County, Ohio (St. Clairsville) recently provided my last item of local history with national significance. He shared with me a self-published book on the Civil War generals of Belmont County that I found fascinating.  No less than eleven generals, ten Union and one Confederate, were born in Belmont County. Perhaps this should not be surprising in that more than 300,000 Ohioans served in the Union Army, more per capita than any other state. In addition, Generals Ulysses Grant, William T. Sherman and Philip Sheridan were from Ohio.

 

 

REPUBLICANS ARE MISREPESENTING CRITICAL RACE THEORY

 

The latest flashpoint in the ongoing cultural wars over how and what public school students should learn is the concept of critical race theory (CRT). Critical race theory is a way of looking at our history of racism with the goal of restructuring imbedded discrimination. It is an academic construct based on the well-documented understanding that systemic racism is a social, economic and cultural historical fact. CRT is directed against racism in institutions and long-standing practices, not individuals or white America as a class.   

Right wing elected officials and their supporters will back any action, which denies that racism is common and systemic. Many Republicans seem to believe that racism will end when the nation stops discussing it. Attacking CRT has become their latest method to accomplish this goal. They claim that CRT is an ideological manifesto that seeks to demonize white people in the past and present for developing or supporting systemic racism. In fact, CRT is simply a factual recognition of historical events that have led to numerous long-standing institutional examples of systemic racism. Adherents of CRT believe that by acknowledging and discussing systemic racism we can move forward as a nation in a positive way.  

The concept of CRT has existed since the early 1960s when Derrick Bell, an African American Harvard law professor (born and raised in Pittsburgh) developed the idea as a reaction to the civil rights movement. His aim was to move the country toward a culture based on racial equity by examining the root causes of white supremacy.

For decades, the theory remained a little known discussion point, debated only in academic circles. CRT broke into the mainstream with the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 and the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. Right wing commentators exploited the post Floyd nation-wide demonstrations as a way of introducing critical race theory to a white audience suspicious of the Black call for justice. It became the right wing symbol of an aggressive new ideology to malign all white people. In fact, the theory was neither new, nor aggressive. Nor was it designed to paint all whites as racist.

Since 2020, CRT has become a major talking point in Republican political campaigns around the country. The hope is that this “dangerous concept”, misrepresented on Fox News and other conservative media, will sweep them into office. Remarkably, no public school in America had critical race theory as part of its curriculum. Nonetheless, states governed by Republican legislatures have now passed laws to prohibit discussing CRT. Predictively, these misplaced legislative efforts have been expanded to limit how teachers can present racism in any context and to curtail racial and diversity initiatives in education. 

Republican efforts to ban CRT and related anti-racist programs offer no better example of how systemic racism continues its long saga in American education. A recent history on the teaching of race in America (Teaching White Supremacy by Donald Yacovone) illustrates the enduring tradition of racism presented in public school textbooks.

The author examined hundreds of school texts distributed by the nation’s leading publishing houses from the early nineteenth century to the 1980s. He found that public education promoted white supremacy by saying little about slavery or portraying it as a positive institution that helped lift “savage” blacks into the realm of civilization.

The most popular history and civic texts taught three prevalent themes to young students well into the 1960s. First, that white superiority and Black inferiority were an acceptable part of American culture, including accounts of the nation’s past. Second, that the Civil War emancipation was a cleansing event that marked the end of further wide-scale racism in America. Third, that reconstruction provided white students with an easy explanation for ongoing white privlege. The argument was that during reconstruction African Americans failed to take advantage of an opportunity to progress and therefore could not complain about their unequal status.

Systemic racism is not limited to the United States.  Democratic forms of government do not eradicate it. In addition, CRT is relevant in nations where Blacks are in the overwhelming majority. Consider South Africa where in one election, a nation long divided into racial castes controlled by a white minority was turned upside down. After 1994, long disenfranchised people of color now wielded political dominance over the white minority.

Unfortunately, South Africa underwent immense political change while remaining on the same dismal, white dominated, economic track. Today, the unemployment rate remains at thirty percent. Thirty million Blacks live below the national poverty line. Twenty companies control eighty percent of the nation’s capital assets. Almost all are white owned.

White privlege remains as strong in South Africa as it was during apartheid. Whites control all the best schools, employment opportunities and agricultural land holdings. The Black middle class has found it difficult to penetrate into the white-managed mainstream of economic activity.

Clearly, systemic racism is a widespread, global reality. Solutions are only possible by admitting the problem exists and developing programs to break it down. In 2021, the America Civil Liberties Union released the following statement: “Our country needs to acknowledge its history of systemic racism and reckon with present day impacts of racial discrimination – this includes being able to teach and talk about these concepts in our schools.” Without this open approach, our nation is destined to perpetuate systemic racism for generations to come.

 

 

 

A WEEKEND OF REFLECTION

The weekend of September 9-11, 2022 offered some much-needed relief from a summer of rising inflation, revelations regarding former President Trump and the never-ending Pennsylvania campaign ads.  Four weekend events, each with very different circumstances, helped to place us in a more reflective state of mind.

The Death of Queen Elizabeth.  The United Kingdom is suffering through a period of economic and political turmoil far worse than the United States. There have been four conservative party Prime Ministers over the past ten years.  Each successor’s time in office has been more tumultuous than the former. Inflation is at double digits and economists predict a devastating 20% rate in 2023. Household energy bills are soaring due to dependence on Russian gas. The National Health Service is under pressure with 6.7 million patients waiting to receive scheduled care.

After observing the national outpouring of grief and solidarity following the death of Queen Elizabeth, two factors stand out. First, a nation with far greater problems than the United States was able to overcome political differences in a period of national mourning. Second, there has been an English monarchy for over 1200 years. This proves once again that institutions matter in bringing a diverse population together at a time of national sorrow.

Why are we Americans so fascinated by the British royal family? There is certainly a breath of fresh apolitical air associated with the crown. Though the King or Queen is officially the sovereign head of state, there has been no royal exercise of political power in over three hundred years. The Queen never revealed her political views.

Perhaps the major factor explaining America’s royal obsession is the love of status and celebrity. A weekend of ancient traditions and pageantry captured the airways, replacing repetitive, political talking heads. We were all happy that Princes William and Harry reconciled for the funeral. We can only hope that members of Congress could do the same.

The 9/11 Anniversary. When the media was not focused on the United Kingdom, it was covering solemn ceremonies related to the 9/11 anniversary. There is an enduring, but slowly changing impact of the 9/11 attacks on the national mood. Many Americans who are old enough to remember the day, name the attacks as their top historical event. Conversely, an ever-growing number of citizens have no personal memory of 9/11 and its aftermath.

I recently viewed a photograph of both Hillary and Bill Clinton, Republican Governor George Pataki, Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senator Chuck Schumer standing together waving flags, shortly after 9/11.  I reflected on whether our nation could ever again come together at a time of sadness and patriotism. Following 9/11, no one sought political advantage against the Bush presidency for the intelligence shortcomings that may have prevented the attack.  I fear that today the allure of short-term political advantage would outweigh such a national response of public unity.

Military Gains by Ukraine. Many Americans lost focus on the war in Ukraine as the summer months produced a stalemate and the news cycle moved onto other topics. That changed over this important weekend when Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive that recaptured 6,000 sq. km. from the Russians. The Ukrainian push to retake ground all but wiped out the hard-fought gains made by Kremlin forces this spring.

How this conflict will end is unknown. Last February, no one predicted that the Ukrainians could hold out for this long against the overwhelming force of a larger, authoritarian nuclear power. The fact that Russia controlled the energy supply of much of Europe seemed to make the Ukrainian cause a losing proposition. However, a new face of freedom, through struggle and sacrifice in defense of democracy, has come from this very unlikely place.

Bipartisan support for Ukraine remains strong in Congress. It continues to pass massive aid packages for the country. According to a poll taken in late August, a majority of Americans believe that the United States should continue to support Ukraine until there is a complete withdrawal of Russian troops. Ironically, the country is more united on this issue than whether Donald Trump lost the election or whether the attack on the Capitol sought to disrupt the orderly transfer of government.

The Return of Football. The weekend under discussion also saw the return of the National Football League.  The NFL has been the unquestioned sports entertainment king of attendance, TV ratings, merchandise and revenue for years. There is no sign of slowing. The NFL now markets extensively to nontraditional sports fans, weaving itself into the fabric of popular culture. Athletes have become entertainment icons, more recognizable than our elected leaders.

Whether admiration for this capitalistic juggernaut is warranted is beside the point. Where almost everything in our world today is divided along political lines, the NFL is a welcome exception. It is a sport that cuts across political, social and racial differences to unite communities. When Donald Trump criticized the NFL in 2017 for players kneeling during the national anthem, it had little effect on its popularity.

Weekends like September 9-11, 2022 are important reminders that there are themes and events that continue to unite the citizens of our country. We must take time to reflect on history. We must reflect on our place in the world and remember that sometimes democracy must be preserved with blood and treasure.  We must continue rooting for our football team alongside our hometown political adversaries.