This is a four chapter piece about the year since the 2016 American election that has changed everything, from the upset win to the current political climate Americans face today.
Chapter One:
Red: American Christianity
In the same month we have one of the worst shootings in the history of the United States still without a backlash against the violence and a popular Republican known as Ray Moore shockingly still potentially having a prominent job despite the ugly track record and even uglier accusations popping up concerning pedophilia actions. And this is shortly after the worst mass shooting in the history of the country (should be called terrorism but that’s for another day) coming and going without much of a peep towards gun control, mental health analysis, or even a willingness to accept that this country has a major violence problem. This is where we are as a divided and mostly disappointed country.
We have a man with no political experience whatsoever as president, and the first year has been a bit of a nightmare for a variety of reasons I’d rather not get to (just check my Tweets, my facebook posts, or even the news). In an election that featured prominent Republican faces they pick the one man that is anti-Christian values, anti-human rights, anti-99%, and just overall an absolute disappointment of a human being. Nonetheless, they picked him. And finding the source as to why the Republican nation has sold their soul and dove in to the package Donald Trump was offering isn’t just a recent thing, this has been decades, centuries in the making, and boils down to one specific thing: American Christianity.
Side-Note #1: Most of what I say is observation and would be tough to prove with facts. However, with 61% Mormon, 81% White Evangelicals, 58% Protestant, and 60% White Catholic voting Trump, there is a basis connected to the points I am making here.
Let’s go back, shall we? America was founded by people escaping an unjust and religiously strict England. Through the power of their beliefs (and anger because of taxes) they conquered the Natives, defeated the British (twice) and became a quickly-powerful nation. Toss in the Manifest Destiny where they start conquering the West with no remorse over who else reigns there (because in their eyes it was ordained by God), and you have a country founded on God, believing in God, and seemingly succeeding because of God. The United States was established on war, established on violence, and profits greatly because of it. The Wild West festered on outlaws, chaos, and guns. America was succeeding because of guns, and lots of them. After the two World Wars, America emerged as one of the 3 most powerful countries in the world. It is no coincidence that today it harbors by and large the biggest military in the planet. Its in the DNA.
America’s culture is festered on: God, Guns, and Family; and anyone that challenges this is a threat to America in general. Whether it’s the 19th century Democrats or the modern-day Republicans, anyone that challenges this cultural aspect of America and challenges the way America is run is seen as a direct enemy. Lincoln was considered an enemy because he was trying to destroy slavery, which is what the South had been running on for decades, despite the extremely obvious immorality that the North (finally) recognized. And yes, the South still isn’t quite over it. Every war since then, from World War 1 straight through the Afghanistan/Iraq conflicts involved us (whether from the beginning or eventually) because of the idea that our freedoms and culture were under attack.
Clinton was seen as the biggest threat to Republicanism because of her light connections to Obama, her connections to Bill Clinton (of course), and her multi-decade track record of constantly going up against the Red Team’s beliefs of God, Guns, and Family. And to add to that, the Clinton brand was extremely, extremely successful. Running on political gasoline, the Clintons became one of the most powerful figures in America, drawing, earning, distributing, and donating millions through foundations and other means. Bill Clinton ran the 90s, which was pretty much the last time America was head and shoulders above everyone else in terms of economic growth and prosperity, a.k.a., the Sex and the City era. The Republican base knew that this was a sure-fire victory, no way they could compete unless they tossed in a Hail Mary of a candidate to try to kill the momentum.
The Christian base was willing to make a deal with the devil to ensure she wouldn’t win. And the mere depth of the hatred towards her had clues sprinkled throughout that the Democrats had not really picked on. Top Gear is my favorite underrated example, as the hosts once held a contest that they had to completely cancel because they were fearing for their lives when one of the cars features a “Hillary Clinton for President.” This was back in 2007, before the 2008 election that was won by Obama. The evidenced hatred of Hillary amongst the South and Midwest has spanned decades.
This brand of Christianity that we see here focuses strictly on immediate family, on social success, and stability amongst those two elements----and focuses much less on those outside the social circle and even less on other countries and groups of people in need. Part of American Christianity is this subtle belief that everyone has an equal chance at happiness and success, and if you aren’t succeeding or in deep trouble it has a lot to do with your decisions. Part of the mystique of American Christianity is the willingness to help, only from a distance. Negativity is seen as complaining and anti-American, appreciate what you have, because “you’d be much worse off elsewhere.” But biggest of all, anything that appears outside their American picture of well-rounded family, complete with Bible and house, just looks like an egregious anomaly. It’s mostly this base that struggled to accept Civil Rights, gay marriage, universal health care, atheism, and anything outside the male/female gender role---and of course a female president. If Christian America hates where the nation is heading to, then Clinton winning would just continue this immoral road.
Side Note: Donald Trump also tapped into an ugly underbelly of America that supports Nazis, that supports the KKK, that supports White Nationalists, hates the way the Civil War ended, and would be perfectly fine supporting the eradication of Blacks and Hispanics. To say that everyone falls under this umbrella is irresponsible, but they do support the same man---which is an issue this administration seeing the cronies Trump has hired to help him. I am speaking about another group of Trump voters, not the psychotically racist group I just described.
So what is American Christianity going to do now that they survived 8 years of Obama yet see the even less likable Hillary on the horizon? None of their typical people can work. Romney couldn’t beat Obama, so how can he possibly take on a Clinton? Clinton was Democratic royalty, and the power of Bush has diminished, there are no decedents of Reagan. Ben Carson is the most boring man in the history of politics, Ted Cruz is arguably the most unlikable candidate since Nixon, and Marco Rubio was softer than wet tissue paper. And here’s Donald Trump, full of success, full of vice. Can Republican Christian America be okay with a man with no political experience, and a history that is full of the very sins that Christianity struggles to accept? Only if it means beating the bigger sin: Hillary Clinton.
Hillary Clinton doesn’t look like their atypical wife, mother, grandmother. She is a woman playing a man’s game. She is seen lounging around with all the men in politics all over the globe. She has an obvious distaste for the flyover states, especially the South, and remains well-connected with Hollywood and New York City---two places that (to American Christianity) remain leagues away from the heartland of America. Oh yea, and there’s that abortion thing. I tell you this, because this is the biggest explanation as to why the strictest of major groups in the United States dropped their guard entirely when embracing Donald Trump, their rock star traveling throughout all the forgotten lands.
Of course, them being hypocrites was going to be the price they are willing to pay, for as long as Hillary loses and he continues supporting American Christianity. However, he isn’t as strong as they thought he would be. He isn’t as business-savvy as they thought he would be. He isn’t as powerful or as respected as they thought he would be. Within a year, America’s global power stock has slipped, the Republican party has been shattered, and Trump still somehow wants Americans to pay for the wall. But they know these truths: Trump will protect their guns, protect those that voted for him from criticism (even if he won’t support them within his powers), and will try to fight the PC and gay agenda. And along with Hillary Clinton and the Democrats licking the wounds of their loss, that’s all American Christianity could possibly need. Maybe.
However, the cost is mightier than they could have ever imagined, with the shooting in a Texas church being the latest example. Gun control isn’t at fault here, neither is the fact that it’s a Red State; American Christianity has created this culture that keeps their guns close to the Bible, and once in a while it creates nasty scars. The inability to accept changes or accept that there are problems that need to be addressed is caused by their discomfort in accepting that things are going haywire and need solutions. This church shooting is a tragedy, but a completely expected one. We didn’t want to change when a deranged man shot up an elementary school, why change now?
The shrinking approval numbers are proving one thing: American Christianity in a fit of fear and rage voted for a man that completely degrades their values and is starting to reveal his true colors. His respect for soldiers is not like that of Bush, his disdain for the Russians is non-existent unlike a Reagan, and he lacks the ability to actually fix the middle class like an Eisenhower. Trump spoke their language: fight the overseas enemy, battle terrorism, battle immigration, more jobs for them, fewer apologies and more action. American Christianity just had no idea how heavy the price was going to be, and fear for how much more they have to own up to when the presidency leaves the Obama fiscal period and enters Trumps’.
But at least Hillary lost.
P.S. Trump does need to be impeached, in case you haven't read my explanation before:
To Be Continued:
Chapter Two will discuss the absolutely destroyed Democratic Party.
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