Challenges Galore

I have said in this space many times before that the current era of American unrest is similar to that of the 1960’s. Back then the era resolved itself mainly in the 70’s, mid or late in that decade. There are many who would claim resolve is too generous and that the issues were gently laid aside and we went on with our lives.

I would argue the opposite. Yes, some gentleness was applied and we were able to move on with our lives, but the seeds of resolution were planted and they grew into healthy trends still impacting our lives today.

An example? The whole gay community and its acceptance into the mainstream of American life. Acceptance may be too broad a term here, but I think the sense of it is that America today accepts gay people fairly broadly. There is upsetness involved to be sure. There is lack of understanding by those who do not identify as gay, but I sense a deep feeling that gays have been a part of our national life from the beginning and have provided many contributions to public life and culture. Those contributions are too many to ignore. And so we have a gentle dénouement in which we get along.

The transgender issue is an extension of the gay community. It is part and parcel of it. And it is broadly not understood. I am not transgender. I do not understand what they experience in all of their nuances. But I am a person of empathy and am able to feel some of their distress, loneliness and fear. For many others they cannot bring themselves to the same elemental position of empathy. Understandable. But it is a growth opportunity for them and all of us when we face the issues involved.

This is precisely the mechanism by which the 'Flower Power Generation' of the 1960’s expanded America’s understanding of sexuality and openness. They were the youth of the day preaching to the rest of us about freedom, open expression, peace initiatives and a re-examination of our basic freedoms embraced in the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

It was a heady time back then. I was too old to be a part of it, but I observed their courage and faith in the American spirit to explore and claim outrageous statements. Their actions shaped an era and changed us. Uncomfortable as it was back then, it seems modest and small potatoes compared to today’s brash incivility.

Incivility? It is worse than that. Let’s label it what it is – Nasty.

The rhetoric is vulgar. The TV comedy shows are spot on but as vulgar as the issue they are parroting. That’s part of what makes their comedy work. It is edgy and vulgar and uncomfortable. But we laugh nonethesame.

Politics is like comedy, I think; it reflects the social awareness of the day. It mirrors it. And it is used by many to make philosophical points, and religious and political points, as well. In America this is allowed, even encouraged. It is an expression of our guaranteed freedoms. The nastiness and bad manners just accompany all of that; and they will tone down in time.

For now we must allow free wheeling discussion to be heard and jar us. This is the edge of our current era still in the making. We will exit the era when the next one appears. The two eras will inform each other and make us more and strong.

Yes it is upsetting at times as we follow our path through the chaos and ugliness. But we will gain strength and perspective along the way. We may even learn to laugh with abandon and gusto!  And that’s not a bad thing.

August 1, 2017