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God meets Gold

27/9/2015

1 Comment

 
The recent arrival and the subsequent Congressional address by Pope Francis has once again exposed one of the  the most exceptional characteristics of American society - Faith. By this I mean, an acceptance of an American way of being by the majority of American society that often flies in the face of the very same rights and responsibilities  that this nation has promulgated as their very own societal strap line since their independence.  This disconnect between a nation's long held ideals and their actions is not unique to the US but what is, is its ability to recognise this fracture yet see little reason or need to do much about it.  In other words, the US largely does not see the value of reconciling the space between their closely held notions and their differing actions since their fundamental faith lies in the process and progress of a successful nation that has little acknowledged history but has endless investment in the future. Since this nation was born, survived, prospered and became pre-eminent primarily because it better articulated than others an understanding of power whilst simultaneously standing under the dreamlike banners of freedom, equality, democracy and the primacy of law. So why change a winning position!             
The Pope having been consciously and somewhat conspicuously met by the US President at the steps of his plane went on to mention four Americans during his subsequent Congressional address, two iconic US figures - Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln - men that in their own unique way looked to unify a nation divided by racial and sectional hatred, both held a deep faith in the American way. The other two mentioned are no less significant since one was Doris Day, a radical, pacifist who founded the Catholic Worker Movement, because her passionate faith lay in social justice and therefore, her driving desire was to fight for the rights of the oppressed. The other was Thomas Merton, a monk who spent much of his energies extolling the virtues and his belief in a continual dialogue between differing faiths. In mentioning these citizens the Pope had identified, sketched out and explained the historic challenges that sit within American contemporary society - continuing raw racial division, growing social, educational and economic inequality and a deep lack of respect that many American Christians have for other faiths and beliefs.

Moreover, as the Pope finished his speech to the Congressional elite and the common citizen with a request to stop capital punishment whilst treating immigrants with respect I wondered what effect this meeting between God's representative and Mammon's agent had proffered. Since as the audience rose as one and applauded endlessly to the Pontiff's declaration that 'God Bless America', were they actually recognising the 'truths' within the speech or just reaffirming their faith in the American way ? As John Boehner, a Catholic  Speaker of the House, sitting behind the Pope started to weep I was also left wondering whether the source of his emotion was to be found in the humanity of the narrative or in this particular politicians own often stated conviction held by many Americans that the nation's continuing material success is because of their close relationship with God. However, I now assume that it was more related to this gentleman's decision to leave Congress since he has been charged by his critics as not being 'faithful' enough to their American way. After all the greatest sin in this particular congregation is to be un-American, just ask God.
 
KK             
1 Comment
Laura Carroll
27/9/2015 05:00:15 am

I think Congress was the perfect place for the Pope’s address to the nation because it was gloriously ideological and philosophical without offering critical criteria for improvement or a plan for positive changes.
Yes, he touched on the key national issues and in his own way identified areas that clearly require more work and attention, and did so with such gentle and compassionate language that even those who vehemently disagree on process had to agree on the overarching picture the Pope painted: Americans have before and so can again, apply courage and intelligence to their problems. That combined with their deeply rooted beliefs in freedom, equality and justice give them the power and capacity to make positive change for all their people regardless of color, class or creed.
That seems to be the rhetoric Congress enjoys but exactly how things should be done, of course, is always the rub and on that question the government has actually shut itself down before.
American politicians seem less and less able to unite on any common fronts with any real language of change that would unite the country in a quantifiable or complete way. It's only economics it seems (i.e. a significant loss of revenue and income as a result of systems collapsing) that brings the broken picture back into focus, just long enough for things to get up and running again, just long enough for Americans to be able to tune into the multiple channels of conversation to try and make sense of what their elected officials are actually saying - trying to understand the multilayered and complex and endless arguments about process.
Every time a politician starts a sentence with "look…." I'm suspicious that what will follow will be what seems like a clarification of his ideas but actually will just be mush.
The American political arena, derisive and combatant as it can be and has been, as full of party interests, self interests and driven by economics as it is and has always been does not seem to be able to pull together, especially lately, as a place for the development of critical criteria or real plans that support the common American good so the Pope's speech worked well in the arena of ideals without workable foundations.
After all when there are still Americans who oppose organizations like Planned Parenthood, and when entire communities are organized around targeting poor and/or black citizens with it's outrageous ticketing systems, it seems as though America has not progressed at all.
There are so many areas of our society that seem backwards in our modern culture and yet, there they sit.
To answer Prof. Kennard's question, I think yes, Congress applauded because they were reaffirming their faith. They seem to need to do that from time to time and I think most genuinely believes he/she is "an American", full of the traditional values and ideas of grace, compassion, care and intelligence the Pope spoke about as being a part of our collective history, but who will also rationalize and compartmentalize if or when his/her behavior conflicts with "the golden rule".
That's just human nature isn't it? Congress is just people.
And of course the Pope spoke about human ideals that all the world should ascribe to as they pertain to kindness, love and peace for everyone not just in America, but in the world.
How America contributes to this global betterment is another question, of course, and not one with any straightforward answers...I think what every American sitting in Congress would like to believe is that he/she is doing their part to make their country and the world a safer and better place. It's in our blood after all isn't it?
How would they rank themselves on that front keeping the Pope's edicts in mind I wonder…could they even be completely honest with themselves? At least the prisoners the Pope will visit later today have had to face their transgressions because well, they've been forced to. Not to imply members of Congress have committed the kinds of transgressions a convicted criminal has, but then again I suppose it depends on who you are in American society.
It's so often a matter of perspective, of course.

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    Dr J Ken Kennard Professor of Politics and History - Master Program in American Studies - Universiteit Gent

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