Pent up energy. Coming from the Earth’s crust, that energy can create seismic waves, leading to what we all know as earthquakes. When irregularities exist along the fault surface, frictional resistance occurs, causing people to see the Earth’s surface shaking all around them.
The scientific explanation behind the formation of earthquakes is a perfect metaphor for what is happening socially in the global community. Changing economic demands and a restructuring of the populous landscape has created tension between groups of people that have never been addressed.
The Brexit situation with the European Union did not just come out of thin air. Rises in economic despair among white working class citizens combined with the influx of refugee immigrants created a turbulent energy resulting in a seismic wave. That wave ultimately leading to a 52-48 percent vote for Britain to leave the European Union.
The same, to a lesser degree, can be said about the United States. A changing economy has helped create a sense of anger in the uneducated white working class. The factory and mining jobs that kept many people in rural areas afloat are decreasing or are already diminished.
Census data clearly tells us that the populous landscape in the United States is changing and is changing fast. Over the next twenty years, white Americans will no longer be the dominant race here in America. This fact stirs up a lot of unsettling feelings in many people who are afraid of being left behind.
Of course, not all of these people are prejudiced against minorities. There are many who are just struggling and feel left behind by the social and economic progress being made by other societal groups.
There is also a certain portion of these people who long for the days where the benefits were clearly stacked in their favor. Instead of looking for solutions that will help create a future paradigm of growth, some would rather go back to a time that is almost impossible to recreate.
They are holding on to the symbols that bring back fond memories of the past. The two main symbols are the Confederate flag and the many Confederate monuments that are resurrected mostly across the southern portion of the United States.
There is no state that houses more Confederate supporters than the state of Texas. In the lone-star state, there is a small but powerful group of around 5,000 men who are trying to preserve and strengthen the legacy of the Confederate message for many generations to come.
The Texas Chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) are generally described as deeply religious, neo-Confederate true believers who are steadfast in their defense of Confederate iconography. They are seeking to disrupt a House committee review championed by Texas House Speaker Joe Strauss.
This committee is tasked with the job of valuing the historical intent and significance of nearly a dozen Confederate monuments at the Texas state Capitol. When the review is finally completed, committee members will have to decide whether or not to recommend the monuments be removed, or leave them be for future generations to see.
Members of the Texas SCV are obviously in favor of keeping the monuments as is. But, they are not just satisfied with the monuments currently in existence. They are currently building the largest Confederate memorial built in a century in an East Texas town near the Louisiana border.
While the sting of slavery cannot be ignored, confederate supporters make the argument that it is more about the protection of southern values and the hatred of the liberal, politically correct culture that has invaded the country. They believe the things that once made America great are being stripped away, and that they need to be restored in order to preserve certain values.
The members of the Texas SCV are Donald Trump supporters for exactly that reason. They see his “Make America Great Again” slogan as the rally cry they have been dying to hear from a major politician.
While this group, and all groups for that matter, are entitled to free speech under the United States Constitution, at what point do their beliefs infringe upon the emotional well-being of other people? Sure we can do whatever we want, but when doing what we want hurts other people, it may be time to reevaluate our actions and take a new path.
For certain minority groups, seeing the Confederate flag and monuments celebrating that period of history can be extremely painful. There is no denying that slavery was the dominating point of contention between the North and South that ultimately led to the Civil War.
While these people should definitely not be faulted for wanting to protect their southern heritage, there must be a better way to do this than promoting symbols and erecting monuments that cause other people discomfort and pain.
Sometimes the truest test of a person is not what they do for themselves, but what they do for other people in spite of themselves.
Here is a video of the 121st Texas SCV Convention in Dallas, Texas:
Featured image from video.
