America has long been a proverbial melting pot for people of differing nationalities, ethnicities and religious beliefs. While it has not been a smooth or unblemished ride, we were always united by common beliefs exemplified in the so-called American dream. The goal was to work hard, abide by our nation’s laws, treat others respectfully, tolerate differences and find common ground rooted in the freedoms, rights and guidance proclaimed by the U.S. Constitution and, for many of us, the sacred texts of our own traditions. It was less important that we prayed together, so long as we prayed or walked our own spiritual paths.
Sadly, we watched as dictators, demigods and despots in other countries failed to live up to these high standards and instead chose to bully and persecute those who thought differently, acted differently or wouldn’t bend to the will of myopic government policies. Driven by greed, arrogance and loathing for anyone who resisted them, these politicians and their minions wielded fear and ignorance like sledge hammers, crushing those who did not live up to their warped vision and vile expectations.
Often these crusades were promulgated by allegiance to “nationalism” – either you are with us regardless of what we demand of you, or you are against us. Voices of reason, fairness and resistance were stymied, and intellectuals, spiritual leaders, people of different faiths, color or beliefs were imprisoned or executed.
In many cases, we stood up to this tyranny. In as many cases, we chose to ignore or disregard these injustices, expressing concern, but leaving it to the will of those countrymen to fight their own battles, however outnumbered and outgunned. We have our own skeletons, and behaviors, actions or inaction we would prefer to forget or gloss over. But forgiveness does not trump fortitude and, as the writer and philosopher George Santayana reminded us, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
With those words in mind, consider the mess we find ourselves in here in our own nation. In this great country founded by brave men and women dedicated to freedom of expression, will and religion, we have achieved new levels of hypocrisy and divisiveness. Under the false banner of patriotism, there are those willing to condemn their fellow Americans or immigrants who only want to embrace the liberties bestowed on us by our founders.
Of equal concern are those – particularly Christians – who have turned a blind eye to these outrages. How can anyone embrace “family values” and allow innocent children to be separated from their families and incarcerated? How can anyone who is “pro-life” allow the insipid degrees of poverty, hunger and neglect that plague disadvantaged children, adults and families in cities and rural communities from coast to coast? And how can someone who attends church religiously support leaders who lie to us with impunity, are cruel, immoral, selfish and unethical and drive a wedge between neighbors, brothers and sisters?
Adding insult to injury, how can anyone – regardless of their religion, race or ancestral country of origin – think that preventing immigrants fleeing tyranny, poverty and abuse from entering our country is fair, smart, moral or a good idea? We all are created in the image and likeness of God, regardless of citizenship status. Self-righteousness seems to have seized the public square.
We must stop this nonsense now, while we can. Alleging that nationalistic behaviors are patriotic is idiocy and shameful. Abandoning Christian beliefs and principles by supporting these heinous actions is antithetical to everything Christ taught us. And let us not forget, The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican addressed relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world. The goal was – and is – to open the church globally and strengthen relationships with others through respect and tolerance of different beliefs and traditions. That is the foundation of what we believe and teach here at Sacred Heart University.
In contrast, nationalism is based on the belief that a people or nation is better than everyone else. It twists love of country into an ugly cancer that feeds on hatred of others and differences, relegating the freedoms and rights we take for granted to the scrap heap of history.
In an open letter published August 19, 2019, in Commonweal Magazine, national church leaders said “nationalism forges political belonging out of religious, ethnic, and racial identities, loyalties intended to precede and supersede law. Patriotism, by contrast, is love of the laws and loyalty to them over leader or party. Such nationalism is not only politically dangerous, but reflects profound theological errors that threaten the integrity of Christian faith. It damages the love of neighbor and betrays Christ.”
We are a great country, built on ingenuity, hard work, love of family, strong spiritual beliefs and devotion to common challenges and principles. Under one God of our personal choice, we live together as a nation of many different people, indivisible in our pursuits of justice, freedom and liberty for all. Anything less is unacceptable.