By Christopher Young,
Contributing Writer,
The most recent wave of culture wars is disturbing. They force us to reflect on what America has been, what it is, and what it is moving toward. How often have we heard utterings about America being an idea? An idea, so says the Declaration of Independence, that we are all created equal. While progress has surely been made toward realizing that idea, that progress has always had to be fought for, and many times, died for.
The playing fields of education, employment, advancement, housing, economics and governance have never been equal. Sadly, even that truth doesn’t sway white conservative nationalists, the vast majority who are Christian, from zealously endeavoring to keep us unequal. Their goal is undefeatable superiority in what they view as their country.
There is an underbelly in America that does, on its good days, seem to believe in fairness and equality. On the rest of the days though, no anti-equity mechanism is exempt from their targeting, because the belief that America belongs to them trumps any progressive thinking. That becomes then, their superseding value. They believe America is a Christian nation, which really says to h-e-double hockey sticks with religious freedom. Extremism, once at the fringes of our society, has a gathering wind in its sails, solidly conservatives and a numbing number of Christian evangelicals are in its folds.
Remember when wearing a W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelet was all the rage? A moral imperative to behave with the love of Jesus is now being abandoned, and the captains of this ship are white Christian conservatives. We know what Jesus says.
The list of their actions; behaviors first borne in thinking and beliefs, is exhaustive; both shocking and traumatic. Only seven states have not attempted to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT), per https://worldpopulationreview. While President Biden signed an Executive Order promoting diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and accessibility in the Federal workforce, others went in the opposite direction.
“Centered at the Claremont Institute, a California-based think tank with close ties to the Trump movement and to Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, the group coalesced roughly three years ago around a sweeping ambition: to strike a killing blow against – the leftist social justice revolution – by eliminating social justice education from American schools,” writes the New York Times on January 24, 2024. They seem to think that social justice is being stigmatized when more minorities are given a higher degree of opportunity.
Restrictions on curriculum, the banning of books, eliminating anti-bias training, and attempts to eliminate public statements on diversity are all on their list – the white Christian conservative’s to-do list.
Despite being raised in a home espousing staunch religious faith, two decades of active-duty military service, and visiting forty different countries, I never imagined living to see a day when voting rights would be anything other than strengthened, yet this most fundamental right in a democracy is under full-scale attack by these people.
This zealous attempt to rewrite our history by removing opportunity that has been fought so hard for and to present America and its history to our children void of accuracy is morally wrong and a perilous pursuit. Trading truth for supremacy, knowing the whole while that minorities and other marginalized groups will suffer, again, is disgustful behavior that no believer in Christ could undertake.
There are endless examples of truths. They are simply not subject to being rewritten. Just one is highlighted here for three reasons: because the fullest recognition was so long in coming, because it was action supporting America conducted by African-American men – years before the order came to integrate our armed forces, and because it’s all about fortifying – not tearing down democracy.
“The African American 761st Tank Battalion, better known as the Black Panthers, arrived in Normandy, France in October 1944 and entered combat shorty after their landing. They would endure a record 183 straight days in combat and would liberate 30 towns on their crusade into Germany, per numerous sources, including https://www.nps.gov/articles/761sttankbattalion.htm.
“Before they became the first African American tankers in the U.S. Army to see combat though, their quest began back home in the deep south where some of their first battles were with white comrades and civilians who were reluctant to accept them as equals. The men of the 761st received seven Silver Stars, 246 Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honor. Jackie Robinson, yes, that Jackie Robinson, was a member of the 761st, per www.nps.gov.
Last year, History.com did a special on the 761st Tank Battalion, hosted by Morgan Freeman. It can be viewed at https://play.history.com/specials/761st-tank-battalion-the-original-black-panthers/full-special. The disclaimer at the start of the documentary says, “The following program contains offensive language, discussions and descriptions of racism and violent scenes of war. Viewer discretion is advised.”
The battalion was activated April 1, 1942, at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. The marker pictured above was installed last year.
Do you wonder if any of the white Christian conservative nationalists, with their white supremacy agenda, which is obviously anti-Christian, know and appreciate that it was African Americans who were out front in defeating the Axis Powers in Europe in World War II? Truth is not negotiable in the eyes of Him that presides over us. These white Christian architects of disinformation, who are tearing America apart, should meditate on the words of Mother Teresa, “God does not require that we be successful only that we be faithful.”
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