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MeaganBurrowsFirstPaper 8 - 24 May 2012 - Main.MeaganBurrows
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| | | From Consensus To Creed: A ‘Principled’ Path to Salvation | |
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< | The liberal consensus is so symbolic of the American identity that it has become a ‘religion’ that commands ritualistic devotion as a prerequisite for social citizenship. Politicians in foreign nations do not characterize opponents as ‘unItalian’ or ‘unCanadian’. Only in the United States has the term ‘unAmerican’ become a fixture in the political vernacular. Politicians are branded as heretics for refusing to conform to the liberal consensus embodied in Revolutionary ideology and the quasi-biblical Constitution. Anything that interferes with these beliefs – even social welfare or justice – must be sacrificed at the altar of 'Americanism'. Democrats and Republicans coalesce in an ideological spectrum enclosed by liberal ideals. | >
> | The liberal consensus is so symbolic of the American identity that it has become a ‘religion’ that commands ritualistic devotion as a prerequisite for social citizenship. Politicians in foreign nations do not characterize opponents as ‘unItalian’ or ‘unCanadian’. Only in the United States has the term ‘unAmerican’ become a fixture in the political vernacular. Politicians are branded as heretics for refusing to conform to the liberal consensus embodied in Revolutionary ideology and the quasi-biblical Constitution. Anything that interferes with these beliefs – even social welfare or justice – must be sacrificed at the altar of 'Americanism'. | | | | |
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< | While the American ethos is valuable political currency for the sense of patriotism and belonging it instills in American citizens, pious adherence to the vague principles embodied in the ‘liberal consensus’ could serve to restrict freedom of thought, necessary institutional challenge, and national growth. | >
> | After witnessing a physically handicapped man in a NYC Fire Department t-shirt apply for Social Security benefits at an office in Harlem, I was prompted to discuss the role of individualism and the ‘American Dream’ in modern American politics with a friend. We agreed that libertarian principles and concepts of upward social mobility could be valuable for the promotion of ingenuity and innovation. But remaining devoted to these ideals while veterans, public service people and disadvantaged individuals struggle on a daily basis is naïve, disheartening, and frankly, in my opinion, ‘unAmerican’, if the U.S. prides itself on its image as a global leader and a champion of justice.
While the American ethos is valuable political currency for the sense of patriotism and belonging it instills in American citizens, pious adherence to the vague principles embodied in the ‘liberal consensus’ can serve to constrain public welfare, necessary institutional challenge and national growth. | | |
Legal and Political Ritual: The Danger of Transcendental Nonsense | | | Acknowledgment of the restrictions posed by faithfulness to folklore in both politics and law enables us to capitalize upon political and legal opportunism. Creeds, symbols and slogans don’t need to be completely abandoned – in fact, they may be successfully manipulated for our own purposes. But we must also recognize that the comfort provided by blind faith and the fear of disillusionment and uncertainty can stifle creativity, imagination and improvement. Only then can we move forward to create complex composites that more accurately reflect reality, enabling us to engage dynamically with society and effect substantive change. | |
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