Never before in history have all social components of society been on the verge of collapse. Politics, family, economy, religion, education. The question we are left with then is what do we do? Before we decide that it is important to look back in history. This article simpley acknowledges that we need to address these issues and that we are running out of time. I can't say that the threshold is but it certainly seems as though we are approaching many of them simultaneously.
Looking at the following list, it is difficult to put them in their correct:
Native Americans were clearly established in
North America first, but problems arise with each cultural category where do you place African Americans and Women on a timeline when considering historical impacts and implications? So this order reflects the experience and when major events occurred in no particular order of significance. African Americans could have a slave experience and a historical experience based on civil rights. These nuances would consume too much time and I would lose lots of readers. So for practical purposes I have just chosen to list them in no particular order.
Native American History American; Explorers- Colonial Period 1772- 1786-; The Revolution 1787- 1820- The New Nation; 1820-1855- Antebellum; The Civil War Period 1865-1897- Reconstruction and Industrialization 1897-1920 World Stage; The Twenties; The Depression World War II; Postwar America 1945-1960; The Sixties and Civil Rights- 1960-1974; ; African American History; America 1975-2010 Women's History.
If you look back to the Native American period, they had education, agriculture, trade etc. During North American colonization education, economic growth, religion and family values were prevalent. Even during the Revolution and Civil War, the family unit was essential; despite the intra-family conflicts that occurred families though fragmented, were bound by the pursuit of freedom, prosperity, and agriculture and beyond. During the formation of the New Nation people coalesced around the idea of independence from Europe and a sense of determining their own fate-- people in control of their own destiny. Again during Antebellum people were still heavily dependent on the family unit. Towns and communities were designed for security and social enhancement. While more people died in the Civil War than at any other time, in U.S. history, it was also a time of growth from agriculture to war as a stimulus for manufacturing and again families worked to populate those who were sacrificed during the war. Re construction and industrialization revolutionized the world. New innovations and some of the greatest minds continued to flow into the U.S. This was a great period of thinking. World War I and World War II posed more challenges to the United States but it continued to wield its influence as a new comer to the world state, making a name for itself and creating a real presence as a force to be reckoned with. African American experience stretches from slavery to Civil Rights and beyond, the same could easily be said for the feminist movement and women's rights.
But what lead us up to today where religion is not only disruptive but in deep conflict all around the world. What is responsible for the world economy collapsing? Why have our family units been dismantled? Why has faith and trust in politics and government gone by the wayside? And why is the state of education look more like the state of chaos? One thing I can guarantee you is that I do not have the answer, rather this is a wake up call to everyone.
No one president, leader, organization or government; religious or academic institution is responsible. My point here is only that each (politics, family, economy, education, and religion) is on the brink on destruction or collapse a place we have never been before. We are in need of more than just a change in health care; we are in need of more than educational or banking reform. Nothing Planned Parenthood or right to lifers can do will change the course we are currently on. And to top it all off we are destroying the very environment we depend on to sustain human life as we know it. Don't pray about it, fix it. We need to do and be something revolutionary that will transform the current conditions we face as a society-- as a human race. If we do not we will surly perish.
There is much that has not been captured here but we must begin to look at things differently.
This topic requires a much broader conversation which I embrace; but we have a problem greater than any world leader or president, political party, fundamentalist group. We need to look upon it that way and fix it not the part of it. We have our priorities wrong and we are not doing anything to create a holistic change. We must look at all of these components and begin mapping out a revival plan that is strategic and deliberate. I am amazed we have not articulated this argument sooner but we need to have the conversation.
