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The rate of change is accelerating. Many Americans are unnerved by practices to which they were not exposed as they were growing up. It is a large and diverse world in which we live and not everyone is equipped to tolerate transformative trends. We must acknowledge that at some point in our lives we have found new trends to be shocking at some level and that we have resisted those trends. But progress is not based on the promotion of the bow and arrow, or slavery, or sailing vessels over steamships, or horse drawn carriages over hybrid vehicles.
Humans can be curious, but courage is scarce at times. It is important to realize that there is a lot of good in tradition in societal and religious practices; yet, it is essential to review, upgrade, and even delete those practices that impose themselves on others’ rights to be who they can become. Repressive religious and societal practices are not limited to one faith. Faiths that consider their practices to be God-ordained and inviolate resist change. All faiths were at one time shunned by then-existing status quo groups, persecuted, harmed, murdered. But sometimes, once groups reach the mainstream, the hierarchical structure tends to take over and become protective of accepted dogma, and then persecution of the other becomes the practice, even as it violates the teachings on love and compassion of those now mainstream groups.
Are fundamentalist folks evil? Or are they just afraid of change, of the unknown?
In the October, 2023 issue of Church & State, (Volume 76, No. 9), the monthly publication from Americans United for Separation of Church and State, there is ample reason for joy. Young people are engaged and pushing back against the oppressive tactics of fundamentalist religious folks. The fear-of-change oppressive tactics of conservative groups against human rights has backfired— it has motivated the young to become vocal activists and engaged voters.
The issues of interest to young people are many: reproductive freedom; the empowering of vigilantes to enforce the abortion views of the minority; the human rights of LGBTQ+ people; school curricula controls by religious conservatives; denial of adoption rights based on religion; coercive prayer practices at youth sports events; open access to history books that challenge the myths and traditions that have seeped into American History to cover up racial intolerance, and slavery, and predatory foreign policy practices, the subjugation of women; suppression of public school funding to favor religion based charter schools; public funding of religious chaplains in schools; and even in this day and age the remnants of blue laws that restrict commercial and private activities by citizens as innocuous as shopping and going to the beach on Sundays.
Around the issue of transgender rights, young people are increasingly displaying tolerance and sympathy and are not shy about standing with trans friends and acquaintances. They resist oppressive reactionary policies, legislation, and regulations that affect their lives as students and as people. Examples of these policies are the “anti-trans bathroom bills” and “don’t say gay laws”. These policies harass transgender people by restricting gender-affirming healthcare and school curricula. Homophobia and transphobia may be alive in demagogic candidates, but the pushback by citizens and increasingly by young people is very encouraging. I am confident that the young will forge their own future as those from older generations that are afraid of progressive change die off.
When it comes to defending human rights in the United States the road is never easy, but the ranks of the progressives are growing in strength and sophistication thanks to young voters, even at conservative Catholic universities.
Feeling joyful about this surge in youthful energy is cause for celebration, yet we cannot afford complacency. We, the older voters, must help the young activists, supporting their initiatives and progressive organizations. Those efforts will work to safeguard their freedom to operate and express their wishes for an open, fair, humane society.
Could the visions of the old order and the dreams of the new order run side by side for a while and pollinate each other? Could it be that we need the tension between opposing views so that the path supports healthy human development?
What do you think?
Onward in joy!
Such a good important piece of writing. I see the change too - in my children and in my grandchildren and my larger family’s children. It gives me hope.
I think your piece #16 is spot on. The future is always in the hands of the young. If people remember their youth they should recall the same was said about them.