With all the effort to restore American greatness, there has been so little effort to define "greatness." That ambiguity may be intentional, so that the voter can support a politician, assuming that they agree on the meaning of greatness.
Based on current political agendas, greatness appears to mean:
- Military dominance
- Economic prosperity at any cost
- Purity of American culture as defined by a select few
- Winning at the expense of other nations and persons
- Using force and violence to advance greatness
This kind of greatness minimizes human dignity, embodies might-makes-right philosophy, and leads to a more selfish, violent culture. A this kind of great America seems poised for self-destruction. I don't want to live in a society where the only thing that matters is strength and wealth.
I hope we can make America good again. I remember when we could expect our government to be more truthful than dictatorships, when we did not kill people with drones in international waters without any due process, when law enforcement was not masked, when we did not try to bomb countries into submission.
There was a time when use of force required moral justification, something deeper than you-can't-stop-me. There was at least a pretense of moral underpinning to government actions. We tried to look like we were doing a good thing, even if we were rationalizing.
Now there seems to be no nod to goodness. "We are in power, we have the guns, you better do what we say or we will kill you. We don't need moral justification because we have all the power."
With American leadership setting the tone, a cruel, selfish mentality works its way into societal interactions. Industry freely preys on the weaknesses of the public--think sports betting--and makes millions at the expense of nearly all its customers. Stewardship of natural resources takes a back seat to profits. Powerful corporations run roughshod over small businesses because they have the money and the lawyers. Hey, it's the law of the jungle. Kill or be killed.
Maybe goodness is quaint and old fashioned. But if we let go of goodness, I wonder if there is anything worth holding on to.
According to Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859), "The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults."
We have that ability. We can choose new leadership. We need leaders who will make America good again.
