Let’s review times in the “land of the brave”, shall we?
A majority of Americans would seem to be afraid of:
Universal healthcare (though crippling costs take people’s homes, retirement funds, drive them into bankruptcy, keep them from seeking or getting care when ill, people are shackled to jobs, and are routinely denied the coverage they pay for), because 'Oh my God Socialism! We’ll all end up standing in line for bread! When, in fact it works quite well in most countries, in fact. No standing in line for bread, no socialism. In fact it’s about as socialist as ‘not for profit’ police services, schools and fire stations! And yet they are afraid?
Same sex marriage because it will cause the break down of society as we know it, famlies will crumble, and people will marry toasters and dogs apparently. But mostly, it would seem, because it’s against the Christian God’s laws. In a country without, as dictated by its constitution, a state sanctioned religion! When, again, in fact none of these things have occurred where it has been adopted. And yet they are clearly afraid?
Immigration, in a country built on immigration. They despise their neighbours for illegally entering their country, but have them doing all the dirty work, like picking crops and mowing lawns, that they wouldn’t want their kids to do. They are afraid of them because they will be overwhelmed by numbers. As though this isn’t exactly what their nation was founded on, (ask the First Nation people how they feel about it!) They willingly turn a blind eye to how these people are exploited, pay taxes etc, because they fear them?
They are afraid of abortion. Something that is fully legal in their country. Again because of God’s law, in a nation where church and state are dictated to remain separate in it’s founding documents. It’s legal. The battle was long and hard, but the war was won, for Crikey’s sake. It’s legal and they’re STILL afraid of it?
Gun control, they are afraid of an autocratic government rising to power and they won’t have weapons to defend themselves. Literally thousands of innocents are mowed down in the streets yearly, because anyone can own any number of high powered weapons without restriction almost. How many autocratic powers have arisen in their history? Oh yeah, not a one. Nothing even close. Not a hint of such. And yet they are afraid.
Refugees. Because a terrorist could slip in as a refugee! As yet hasn’t occurred, but it could. So what if the country was built on taking in the huddled masses? This is the twentY first century and America is retreating from one of the things that made it into a great nation. Because they are afraid!
Muslims. That there are exponentially more peace loving Muslims than extremists, not unlike Christianity, matters not a whit. That the persons immigrating are trying to escape the violent extremism matters not. They are afraid of Sharia law, for like how many years now? Heard anyone advocating for its adoption? Tabling a bill perhaps? Me neither, yet they are CLEARLY afraid.
Home of the free, maybe.
Land of the brave? Yeah, I’m not buying that any more.