Death by Cowardice

There seems to be quite a bit of buzz about the “end of the United States” and “end-stage capitalism,” etc. I’ve given this idea quite a bit of thought (at least a month and a half), and I think these rumors are just that, useless ideas. They’re a waste of time and energy, and are even worse because they suck the energy out of the room while on their face appearing to be something of a nod to intellectualism. This would be a false acknowledgement, if anything, because it is just as lazy to say “end-stage capitalism” as it is to say “communist libtard.” This is one of the few times that I will go so far as to compare the left and the right on equal(-ish) footing. And to both, I say: if this great nation of ours ever is to die, it won’t be because of end-stage capitalism, any more than it will be because of communist takeover. It will be because of cowardice, plain and simple. Allow me to begin.

First, we are terrified of our history. “What?” you say. “We teach history all across America. I had years of history class. What was I doing, wasting my life?”

I don’t know if you wasted your life. That’s kind of a value judgment you’ll have to make. But I do know that the version of history, at least through high-school, that I was taught, was comfortable and for the most part happy times. Slaves were brought to this country and experienced better lives because of it. States fought the civil war, sure, but it was all about state’s rights, not that nasty slavery thing. And, don’t forget, any racial skirmishes were largely peaceful in nature, including the March on Washington, and when they weren’t, it was because they devolved into riots. Also, Manifest Destiny was great! It put the United States officially on the international map!

All lies. And why? Is it because we think our children are fragile little angels and that they would be irreparably harmed? That’s what people will tell you, but it’s not the truth. The truth is, cowardice. We see the topling of confederate statues, and wonder what might be toppled next? We wonder whether we will stay on top if the established order is actually challenged. We. Are. Cowards.

Second, we are terrified of each other. The truth is that more people in this country are what I would call good people, than bad. This is just an empirical fact, based on how the numbers work. Consider: empathy is a normal curve (as I’ve always said). That means that on average, people are capable of being empathetic, and at least half the country are more empathetic than not. Couple that with the fact that we actively teach our children things like the golden rule, and acceptance and kindness (which you wouldn’t know by the current state of our society), and you’ve got more people who care about others, or at least fake it, which in many ways is just as good. So all of the above is true, but what do we hear about? Not that. Why not?

The truth of the matter, several matters at once, is that the people who are being the loudest right now are not the people who should be. And we’re not talking about those things we need to be talking about. We do need to get back to a shared reality based on good moral principals, but our new reality is being made right now. It’s being formed in the public square, being molded in the hallways of congress, and being chiseled at by our collective silence.

This cowardice needs to move. It can’t belong to the people who would do good for our nation and each other. It needs to belong to the people who are manipulative, angry, hostile…all of these people need to be as afraid as Nick Fuentes spraying a little old lady in the face with bear repellent. All the time. When they walk into a room, they immediately need to know that their messed up world view has no place in that room. This requires you, and me, to be louder. We all need to stare hostility in the face, and be willing to take a blow for it if it comes to it. Or, like the civil rights marchers who were beaten down over, and over, again, take many, many blows for it.

We can’t sit on the sidelines. You feel that apprehension in your gut right now? That’s fear talking. And if you listen to it, we lose a nation.