Hopefully we’ll get through it

We’ve been shocked by how quickly our society has been changing.  In the last decade or so, we’ve seen four major social change movements – – the Tea Party – –  #Me Too – –  Black Lives Matter – –  and the Cancel Culture.

Social movements are not new to the United States.  Almost from the very beginning of our country, the United States has faced major social changes, brought about by those in opposition to their society.   In the first term of President George Washington  he faced the Whiskey Rebellion, an anti-tax movement of “western” farmers.  The social movement continued.  The great Religious Revival sought to change the wicked ways of society.  The anti-immigrant movement was in response to millions of immigrants taking “American” jobs.  The anti Slavery movement pointed out the falsehoods in this country’s founding documents and led to the Civil War and the freeing of millions of enslaved people.

The Temperance movement and the resultant Prohibition.  The Suffragette movement which led to the political freedom of women.  Anti-nuclear after World War II,  the Environmental movement, the women’s movement, the Civil Rights movement – – the list is long.  Most change in this country is brought about by grassroots movements from those often felt over-looked or left out.

The difference today, is that those movements are coming more quickly.  What used to take decades or lifetimes, now occur in just years.  Modern communications and a compliant media make these changes feel like the country is falling apart.   Add a worldwide Pandemic and the inability to socially engage while we’re trapped in our homes, and the whole damn things seems overwhelming.

But its just the way our country is.  When a portion of our society feels our country is out of touch, the grassroots rise up and slaps those in power back into some sense of reality.

The difference this time is the speed of change.  We just haven’t had the time to process it all and it seems too much to take.  But, we’ll get through it, and hopefully we’ll have a better country in the end.  The word here is “hopefully.”