We have heard a lot of demands by members of the Tea Party and Right-Wing Conservatives that they want their country back. Back from what? The answer: Everything Obama. If you ask most of them if they are racist, they will say no. But I feel their unconscious fear is expressing itself. White America is quickly becoming the minority and by having a president who is of a minority that is becoming a majority, threatens their comfort zone. Life was great when they were the dominate race and controlled most every facet of life in America. Now they must tolerate multiculturalism. They feel they are loosing identity. They see the many colors of congress and now the president and that has induced fear, just like what many feel if they are walking down a dark street and a black American is walking toward them. They become anxious and fearful. That is the emotion we are seeing played out in the Tea Party and conservative right-wing of the Republican Party. They see many Catholics, Jews, and even Mormons in elected office. The number of Protestants has diminished, that makes them uncomfortable. They see an openly gay congressman and a push to give LGBT citizens equal rights. Another minority being made equal to them, that is also fearful.
If one looks at the Republican Party and the Tea Party, a major portion of them are from the southern states and the majority of the leadership are from southern states. This obviously reflects that it takes longer than 50 years to change social attitudes in parts of the country. The type of racism demonstrated by many in this region is not the hatred of the pre1964 civil rights movement, but more of distrust and fear. Fear that they do not know how they will be treated by the new majority. They see the current push for LGBT civil rights, much the same as during the civil rights movement of the '60s. They fear that government will lean more favorably for this new majority's interests, than the new minority interests.Thus the comments that Obama is helping the black population and other minorities more than the majority white population. The truth is he is helping all populations, except maybe the very wealthy white population when it comes to fair taxation.
This is what they mean that Obama is a socialist, that they fear more of their wealth will be transferred into benefits for the poor and minorities, helping them become an educated majority. If the government does not help these populations, then just maybe they can be held down to a second class citizenship role, thereby allowing the minority white population to retain supremacy over the new multi-racial majority.
When you ask someone who want their country back "what they have lost?" They make a generalized statement of freedom. When you ask them what freedom, they have a much harder time defining what freedom they have lost. Some proclaim the new health care has removed their right of choice, but the law does not remove any freedoms they now enjoy. It does require individual responsibility to provide health insurance for themselves and their family and not rely on the generosity of the public to pay for their medical bills when they get very sick and do not have health insurance. This group proclaims they are a party of self reliance, but are willing to take advantage of public services when in dire need. Is forcing them to take personal responsibility for their own health care costs a loss of freedom? Those that do have insurance or can afford to pay out of their own pockets for their health care bills pay higher fees to cover those without the ABILITY to do so or those who have the means but will not pay their bills causes higher insurance premiums and bills. By forcing everyone to buy insurance will actually reduces the cost of health care for everyone.
They might fear that if the minority has access to good medical care, then they will prosper and live longer, thus increasing the population of these groups to levels much greater than the white population that has seen decreases in birth rates. Another underlying fear might be that with everyone having access to medical care and with the shortage of doctors and nurses, the quality of care they will get will be less than what they are now receiving by limiting access to only those who can afford it, predominately the white race.
I would like someone to tell me what they mean by "I Want My Country Back." Or am I right with my commentary here?
As a related issue, I fear that the white paranoid population may not want financial reform that congress is considering. Why? Because the reform is proposed by a black president and it may trigger more anxiety about a black person dictating to the predominately white wall street CEOs how they should conduct business. It would suggest a switch of racial superiority. Just a thought????
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