In the 1500's Europeans fled religious, finical and personal persecution to come to America. Although not at that time immigrants were allowed to exercise their freedoms. In fact, the colonist believed in their freedom from tyrannical empires so much that in 1776 the U.S. Constitution was signed. Suddenly America became a light for all those seeking freedom. This is what all immigrants saw when coming into Ellis Island "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me". Fast forward to 2011, with that kind of start to a country you would think it would be the most modern, progressive and accepting society. You'd be wrong. America has become a bastion for capitalists closed minded self-aggrandizing money grubbing whores. Americans have shown the world how great it can be in the land of opportunity. Of course unless, your African-american (until Dr. King) , Mexican-American, Muslim or Gay. How sad it is. Before I continue let me say this, I love America, I love the possibilities it offers. Americans have seen their country repeal Britain, beat Hitler, help birth Israel and demolish Saddam Hussein. Great as that may be we have also seen our brothers and sisters become stepped on, passed over and abused. If your gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans-gendered good luck. The LGBT community has been shown the door literally. How many times have our voices been quelled? How many times have you been pushed aside because of being who you are? It's not because of what you wear or who you are. The American attitudes towards the LGBT community has been set like the cart path was. It has taken years of "we're right" and "your wrong" attitudes for people like Matthew Shepard to be killed and people feel good about it. It's terrible and sad. It's out right criminal. The absolute fact that we are judged on how we are and not who we are is a smear on the Constitution and all of our civil liberties. Where is America going? Last week the English have decided that martial rights are the right of all people. Regardless of creed or sex the English have decided you have the right to marry whoever you want. Bravo! Not just because of the LGBT implications but because of the example it sets. Bravo Brits! America should sit down shut up and take notes. Live free and be yourself but, if you want to be married to your partner regardless of who they are better book a ticket to London. America the ball is in your court.
Canadians have grown up in the shadow of the U.S. We love and loathe many things about our friends to the south. I would say from our perspective several present-day cultural neurosis have their foundations in the American Constitution, with its intense emphasis on the individual and its history.
ReplyDeleteI would way the American icons of ‘pilgrim’ and ‘cowboy’ have been fundamental in shaping aspects of the American psyche. This is an immense nation of over 300 million and no sweeping generalization applies to everyone. For every evangelical fundamentalist there is also a humanist, agnostic and atheist having the freedom to stand up for their perspective.
As for LGBTIQ communities, we are part of a larger culture war going on within the country for which religion plays a very large role. You mention Israel. A profound reason America is Israel's ‘staunch’ ally is because of the deep identification fundamentalists have with what they call the ‘holy land.’ I support Israel's existence, but know some very twisted world views play into America's particular stance on this.
While progressive forces have eroded many of the old prejudices, hatred and fear of LGBTQ persons will take as long to win as it takes to bring the U.S. into a far more secular modern nation.