CHANGE IS NOT EASY

Change is a lot harder than many of us thought it would be.  After the election it seemed as if the culture of our country had turned the corner for good — the majority was ready for change, the election declared!

I don’t know about you, but I’m weary already, and it hasn’t even been a year and a half into this presidency.  I thought, ridiculously as it turned out, that the Republicans would have a harder time demonizing President Obama than they did President Clinton — because, well…ahem, he’s black!

As it turns out, of course, they have absolutely no reservations in viciously attacking him — and are in fact using the old tried and true racist, “southern strategy” to defeat and discredit him.  The language being used, and the racist “dog whistle” moves being used by the right to rally their base, is actually stunning. 

The “southern strategy” is back in full force — from the Virginia Governor’s proclamation in celebration of the Confederacy (and his view that the Civil War had little to do with freedom for slaves), to the Tea Party’s deeply held belief that Obama’s policies benefit the poor at the expense of the rest of the country (i.e. minorities).

It appears that the right simply has no other moves.  Change is happening, and they are desperately trying to slow it down and benefit politically by fear-mongering.  But, they have to know — deep in their hearts — that the political benefits that they might enjoy can only be short-term.  Long-term, the demographics in America are not going to benefit the conservative right.  The youth is overwhelmingly more progressive, and the minority population is going to grow faster than the Republican’s white base.  The Republican Party’s subtle and not-so-subtle minority bashing will not serve them well as a long-term strategy.

It’s possible (okay, probable) that short-term political gains will be made, but they will be at the expense of their long-term viability as a party and a conservative movement.  People don’t forget the hateful, racist, homophobic political campaigns that are waged.  The right is permanently branding itself in a terribly negative light.

That’s why, though at the moment I’m weary, I know that in the end we will prevail.  There are more of us, and the right’s ideas are just sooo “last century.”

And, doesn’t it seem like a couple of things have begun to fall into place in the last few days?  I’m thinkin’ that the idea is truly energizing that both the CEO of the Massey Energy, Company (whose greed caused the death of 29 coal miners), AND Goldman Sachs (whose greed precipitated the worldwide economic Great Recession), might have civil and potential criminal charges brought against them.  Lifts my weary spirits!

It appears that Barack Obama looks long-term at the issues facing our nation.  The Republican right is currently looking only short-term.  So, we progressives get weary and frustrated with the daily political, short-term attacks and we want more “wins” in these daily battles.  Maybe — just maybe — our President knows what he’s doing, and we need to raise our gaze with him toward the long-term “win” for our country.