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Eduardo del Buey
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La Jornada Maya

Martes 26 de junio, 2018

Is the United States reverting towards a tribal society? Has its motto, E Pluribus Unum (out of many, one), outlived its usefulness as an indication of the direction that Americans want their country to take? One must keep in mind that the American “dream” has until recently, been the “melting pot”, where people leave their former identities behind, and strive to become “Americans”. Has celebrating plurality and inviting all to participate in the American Dream come to an end?

While racism, illegal immigration and other social issues have never been hidden here, I believe that times are changing and not for the better. This is happening, and it is leading to a rapid decline in national unity and unity of purpose in the United States.

The United States is a large nation with a geographically diverse population. Different regions look at things differently. With this in mind, I see a number of “United States”, in reality.

One Occupies the West Coast and Northeast corner of the country –liberal and cosmopolitan.

Another Occupies The South –the Bible Belt, where right wingChristianity rules, and any vestige of liberalism is anathema.

Another is appalachia and the rust belt, where frustration with a globalized economy is rampant, and where those who speak of “white power” and “America First” stand a good chance to win elections while the Midwest, has a preponderance of the country’s militias and strong gun rights supporters.

Politically, socially, and economically, what we see every day is a nation more divided than ever before.

Democrats and republicans do not cooperate with each other and seem to be running for office in different countries. They appear not to listen to one another, and the type of bi-partisan cooperation that existed in another era has gone.

If one looks at the media, on any given day, it appears that CNN and FOX News are reporting on different universes. FOX News focuses on messaging for the extreme right and ignoring stories that don’t suit them while refusing to report factually on problems that affect the image of their anointed leaders. FOX is a strong supporter of Donald Trump and he, in turn, relies on FOX for many of his ideas.

CNN focusses almost exclusively on Donald Trump (despite opposing his administration) providing him and his surrogates with free exposure while inadvertently blocking out Democrats who could better use the airtime to espouse policies that might get them elected. While CNN opposes Trump and his values, the quest for higher ratings leads it to prefer to pit Trump supporters against opponents rather than act as a platform for his opposition. By giving Trump so much air time the network serves Trump’s interests well.

While one can follow the results of the various investigations of the Trump administration on centrist media, FOX News ignores most developments that could question the Administration’s position or the positions of those who support the right-wing agenda.

Many republicans do not support an investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S.’s electoral process when seventeen intelligence agencies have confirmed this fact. One is left to question if today’s U.S. Republican legislators are committed to defending the country’s freedom and sovereignty. When it criticizes the FBI and the Justice Department, it attacks some of the foundations of the American democracy. That the Republicans seem to have chosen the President over the country’s security and institutions speaks volumes of the apparent collapse of certain values that have guided the country and the party until recently.

President Trump Supports “White Power” exponents who base their philosophy on their fear that, by 2050, white protestants will be a minority in the United States for the first time since Europeans colonized the continent. Neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan now feel legitimized in their hatred by a President who calls them “some very good people”. People’s worst devils have been unleashed and, once outside the bottle, this type of genie is hard to put back in.

Immigrants reacting to these developments seem to be collecting under “national” badges – increasingly rejecting the “melting pot” theory and seeking safety in numbers. They are now forced to react to hatred and bigotry. Muslims are constantly on the defensive, Orientals are criticized for holding many jobs in Silicon Valley, and Latinos, especially Mexicans, are feeling the brunt of Trump’s constant diatribes. Indeed, that “melting pot” seems to be curdling.

The democrats are no better. Identity politics on the left have divided the country even further. With Democrats supporting every sub-group that appears, from Muslims and gays to feminists and Latinos, the glue that held U.S. society together seems to have evaporated, and the divisions sewn by politicians from all stripes have come into their own. These groups are further dividing into subgroups, with African-American feminists separating from white feminists since, in their perception, society has had a different impact on each of the subgroups, and it is increasingly impossible for these sub-groups to form a consensus that can win elections. Division after division, the common vision has disappeared.

Democrat political leaders are equally divided on key issues and strategies and are incapable of focusing on a strong central message and developing a strong, central constituency. Their leaders are as divided as the party, as each “tribe” fights for some form of influence that falls short of creating a united front. Rather, it too foments division and disarray that helps lead to electoral defeats.

Thus each "Tribe" in U.S. society has its quasi-leaders and structures, its objectives and phobias, and most seem intent on playing zero-sum politics.

Compromise is perceived to be a fundamental weakness.

Debate is no longer civil, but accusatory and defamatory.

Leadership is not currently the purview of those with well thought out positions, expertise, and policies but, rather, of those who can shout the loudest and spew the most vitriol.

The adoption of an “us versus them” mentality permeates society. What was once healthy competition and dialogue has now become a struggle for absolute power, a desire not for U.S. society as a whole to win, but for each faction to not only prevail, but also vanquish the other completely. The “others” have no more space.

The recent emergency of the “MeToo” movement against sexual harassment by artists, academics, and others has created a new progressive tribe. The fact that youth around the country are coalescing against the proliferation of guns and gun violence, especially in schools, is another reason for hope.

But these are single issue constituencies that may not come together on other key issues unless driven by strong and determined leadership. The fact that youth are mobilizing is encouraging. Can this passion be sustained into the next election cycle and beyond? Can political leaders from either party harness this energy and direct it towards electoral victory and a return to the future rather than the past? That remains to be seen.

Can the "Pluribus" become "Unum" once again?

Perhaps.

Is the tribes at the very center of the political spectrum come together and create an allegiance to the country rather than to their own particular tribe. If a leader can emerge who unites the center and provides a vision that is clear and creates electoral energy. If a leader can persuade people to expand their thinking beyond their own particular tribe and its defining issue, forgo the need for absolute victory over others, and begin to forge a coalition capable of governing the United States as a single whole rather than as a collection of disparate states of mind.

Questions to ponder as we look at a deeply divided and hostile world, increasingly bereft of U.S. leadership.

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