"Trumpism" of the Past is the Authoritarianism of the Present

Here's a comment by Gary Borgnis from the Huffington Post Facebook page.  I take issue only with the "nation of immigrants" motif that while true for so many disregards the continuing presence of the native population that existed before there was such thing as a place called the "United States."  This is hardly a trivial point, as the vitriol of this current white nationalist administration is premised on the notion of an original, if ultimately untenable, white claim to the land.  

From the Sept. 2016 rally at the Texas SBOE against racist textbook

 

Such is the stuff of myth making important to empires and empire building.  This has been an ongoing form of "Trumpism," if you will, conveyed in Eurocentric curricula, the hegemony of the English language, institutionalized forms of oppression, and so on that served and serves as fertile ground for the "authoritarianism," noted by Borgnis, of the present.

So my hope is that America also wake up to a critical stance towards its own history that at least from where I sit involves supporting the teaching of Ethnic Studies in our schools.  At some point in a more inclusive, explicit multicultural future where power-neutral or power-evasiveness by the white majority is an anachronism of the past, Ethnic Studies becomes the default curriculum in our schools.

Short of this, Borgnis' words ring true to me this morning and happy to share:

"This is a calling like none we have ever seen before in the history of our country. It is not a calling of liberals, conservatives or independents, but of all Americans. A calling for Americans of all backgrounds, ages, and races to rise in defense of one America. Throughout our history we have fought off many external threats to our republic and democracy. For the first time in our history we are faced with an internal threat from our own president. An internal threat from a mentally unstable president who refuses to release his tax returns because it would expose his lies and corruption. A vengeful president whose vindictive narcissism determines his every word, action and tweet. A racist president and an administration that would stoke the fires of hate, anger and fear in turning us against each other only to create a vacuum void of hope they would fill with authoritarianism and a dictatorship. 
 
Let us not forget who we are. We are Americans and everything it means to be an American. Upon that common ground we embrace the core values of our Constitution and the Declaration of Independence that have always been our greatest gift . Our love of freedom has always been the bond that has held us together, moved us forward and defended us from fascism. We are mostly a nation of immigrants and our strength has always been in our diversity. Our power has always been our belief and commitment that we strive to be one nation with inalienable rights where all people are created equal with justice for all. Make no mistake. All of this can and will be lost if we do not heed the call. "United we stand, divided we fall." has never rang more true. Rise. Rise up. Answer the call." ~ Gary Borgnis, #ChooseTruthOverTrump, #Resist, #Persist, #AnswerTheCall (Feel free to copy, paste and share my post.)

Final comment for Texans, I've mentioned this Ethnic Studies bill (SB695) by Senator Sylvia Garcia elsewhere on this blog.   Please visit the page to see what you can do.  We need folks to weigh in so that the bill gets heard this legislative session.