THE LAST RIVER MILE

What are we looking at in our country right now?

Many of those who resist the present administration throw around the term fascism. That’s a strong, volatile term. It means extreme nationalism and aggressive militarism. Fascism presumes the need for completely unchecked dictatorial power vested in one individual or an elite few. It is build on a presumed social/political/ethnic hierarchy, with the favored nation or people at the top of the pyramid. Governmental controlled is unfettered, opposition is disallowed and eliminated, and social mores are fiercely regimented. The needs of the nation completely override the freedom of individuals. In my limited view, while the United States may be leaning this way, we’re not there. Though it may be clinging by its fingertips, the Constitution is holding, so far. And confessing that I am one who has used the word fascism sometimes, it’s a trigger word that just entrenches divisions that are already hard to overcome.

A better concept to describe where our nation is might be authoritarianism. Authoritarianism has similarities to fascism: power concentrated in a strongman leader or an elite few, suppression of dissent, control of information, motivation by fear of “the other,” etc. Chat GPT identifies fascism as an ideology and authoritarianism as more of a functional operating system. Authoritarianism can be used to buttress any ideology, right or left. Fascism is most definitely a right wing ideology. (All fascist government are authoritarian, but not all authoritarian governments are fascist.)

Beyond all this, I feel there is a greater question. It’s less about WHAT is happening than it is about WHY it is happening. In a previous post I noted underlying fear of a demographic shift in our country that is inevitable. (See “The Killing of Alex Pretti and the Fear of 2045” – 01.26.26.) Authoritarian leadership in general and fascist leadership specifically depend on and feed on such fear. So what is it that so many Americans fear losing? I think there is a visceral fear the loss of a world defined by patriarchy; specifically the patriarchy of Caucasian men. Patriarchy presumes that life is determined by and directed by men alone. Men are the ones who should hold political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and wealth control. Carefully constructed ideologies, philosophies, and theologies have been built to buttress this world view. Whether consciously recognized or not, this is what is endangered, and this is what necessitates authoritarian leadership to protect it in the minds of many.

Signs of desperate protection of patriarchy are everywhere…The pseudo-testosterone driven need for UFC fights on the White House lawn…The Southern Baptist Convention undergirding their opposition to women in pulpits…The firing of top ranking female (and non-white) military leaders…Sparing no expense to protect wealthy, powerful male sexual predators. (The Department of Justice is still in contempt of Congress for not releasing the full Epstein files as mandated. Our congressional leaders do not seem to care.) White patriarchy is in full circle-the-wagons mode.

The effort to enlist Jesus (a non-white male) as a patriarchy champion is worse than bogus. Search biblical characters such as Hagar, Deborah, and Lydia. Note that God’s promise was to pour out the Spirit on all flesh. (Joel 2:28, Acts 2:17.) The morning on which Jesus’ resurrection was discovered, the men were scared, hiding, and useless. Women were the first to see and to proclaim it. (Yes, those of you who oppose female pastors; the first to preach Jesus risen were women.) Simply and bluntly put, to stand for patriarchy is to stand against the risen Lord.

And, for the record, I am an old white man. I have been the beneficiary of a patriarchal mindset. I have been complicit in a view of reality that does not reflect my faith or the true core values of a nation. Patriarchy needs to die. It’s time to withdraw life-support for it.

I’ll see you around the next bend in the river.