That morning as He approached the city, His disciples brought Him a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. Crowds of followers were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes n the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” The Pharisees whispered to one another, “You see that you are not doing any good; look, the world has gone after Him.”
Things change quickly. Last week the Wall Street Journal reported significant changes in Americans’ values over the past 25 years. “Patriotism, religious faith, having children and other priorities that helped define the national character for generations are receding in importance to Americans….” The WSJ/NORC poll also found “the country sharply divided by political party over social trends such as the push for racial diversity in businesses and the use of gender-neutral pronouns.”
The 1998 WSJ poll first asked Americans about the importance of patriotism and religion. Seventy percent (70%) of respondents said patriotism was very important, and 62% said religion was very important. This year only “38% of respondents said patriotism was very important to them, and 39% said religion was very important.”
What happened between 1998 and 2023? Madonna sang Frozen, the FDA approved Viagra, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin founded Google, Inc. Apple launched the iMac, President Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky became an item, and Osama bin Laden was linked to US Embassy attacks in Tanzania and Kenya.
The 2000 presidential election began breaching the great political divide until 9/11 abruptly snapped national politics and parties into a moment or two of national unity. For a moment, Americans recognized an international common enemy. Crowds chanted, “USA! USA!” Young men and women joined the military and first responders. We were united against those who wanted to destroy us, but not for long.
In 2008 Barack Obama emerged to capture the White House with hope and change, promising to transform America into a mediocre country just like every other nation. His evolving views of same-sex marriage lit the national fuse that illuminated the White House in rainbow colors. LGBTQ+ was no longer a second class social issue, but the number 1 social issue of the decade.
Americans became indelibly split politically by military wars and cultural wars. Time for a change, and in 2016 “The Donald” trumped the political establishment making America great again domestically and internationally. Then the nation began suffering death by a thousand tweets.
Like the crack of a whip, in 2021 America lost our energy independence, our southern border, law and order in our cities, and any semblance of gender certitude. Overnight America became Bizarro World.
Why did Americans’ values about patriotism, faith, and family shift so radically over the past 25 years? We’re more secular, more focused on self, and money (the only value that increased) is much more important. Taking care of “Number 1” has become more important than community or family.
The morning after a long night of torture and persecution by a partisan mob, soldiers pushed His beaten and bloodied body onto the platform in front of the same people who had cheered hosannahs and blessings five days earlier. This time they called for His crucifixion. He had come to give His life for the world, but the world rejected Him. Things change quickly.
Daniel L. Gardner is a syndicated columnist who lives in Starkville, MS. You may contact him at PJandMe2@gmail.com.
18 comments:
People like Daniel who mix religion into their political views are the most dangerous threat to our democracy. These religious extremists can’t figure out why younger generations are rejecting their attempts to force their religious views onto them. Take a look in the mirror Daniel. You are the reason for the decline in faith, family, and patriotism.
Well Daniel I am sure there is a point somewhere in this pronouncement.
I have one for you too: Democrats will run the table in 2024 for 3 reasons !
- Abortion
- Gun Laws
- Donald Trump
Look at those polls, Ask the question , Do the majority of an Americans believe in a women’s right to Chose? Do the majority of Americans want reasonable restrictions on guns ? Will the majority of people vote for Elmer Fudd over Trump ?
1:36 PM do you remember a short two years when we had a republican president? Remember how our country was respected by other countries? Remember when we could still afford a trip to the grocery store? Remember the price of gas? Remember when we were not sending billions of $$$ to protect other countries? Remember when we didn't have cameras being flown across our country spying on us? Remember when we still had rights and a constitution?
We have had two years of the democrats. Can we stand two more years of the same and still have a country?
I think the latest Pentagon leaks prove yet again that the military, intelligence, and political leaders of the USA are also villains.
@2:36 - I remember the world collectively laughing at us and Donald. Is that respect? I remember Russia and North Korea having their way with us. I remember the gas prices rising as Donald was still in office. I remember the Donald pushing tariffs on American consumers. I remember that Donald Trump’s administration was completely oblivious to the cameras being flown over our country when he was in charge. Anything else you need help remembering?
@3:42 PM
Did any of that really happen? Or did you just hear it on CNN?
Elon Musk and Matt Taibbi have proven without a doubt that everything they told you, from Russian collusion to the vaccines was safe and effective, was a lie. You fell for it all.
April 8, 2023 at 3:42 PM, it's all over, but the crying, I don't care which insane clown posse goes in.
3:42 is a poor fiction writer.
11:52 tolerates anyone as long as they agree with him. Disagree? Then you are dangerous.
@4:34 - maybe this is all a simulation, what about that?
Conservatives are finding out the hard way that abortion isn’t a 50-50 issue anymore.
Janet Protasiewicz’s 11-point blowout victory this week for a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin was just the latest example of voters who support abortion rights outnumbering — and outvoting — their opponents. There was little polling in Tuesday’s race, but in a 2022 midterm exit poll of the state, a combined 63 percent of Wisconsin voters said abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while only 34 percent thought it should be illegal in all or most cases.
@6:23
If it were really that popular than they can legalize baby murdering through the legislative branch instead of the judiciary. But it’s not. They don’t have the votes. They want activist judges to do their work so they don’t have to risk re-election on baby killing.
@6:06
Not sure what you are implying.
Read the twitter files. The globalist left were gaslighting the entire planet, run amok with emergency powers. And they were willing to do anything to maintain that power.
3:42 lives in a make believe world
6:23 it’s Wisconsin
@6:32, But that’s Wisconsin and those are yankees. You’re acting like they’ve got some sense in their heads. I’ll tell you this, there isn’t anybody in the South comes home from work and says, “Great news, honey. We’ve been transferred to Milwaukee!”
You guys miss the point, the election in Wisconsin and others since Dobbs are a precursor of what’s to come. It’s going to extend more into congressional races than judicial. Do I like that ? No. It’s just the facts.
Reading the comments from the leftist demons while watching The Passion of The Christ is reminding me that the devils in Washington DC, Hollywood, and Wall Street, are still persecuting Christ’s faithful followers to this very day.
The were sacrificing babies to Moloch and Baal back then too.
Conservative that voted Trump 2x here.
1:36 is right.
I don't have to agree with the stance, but Abortion, Trump and Gun Laws will energize the Left and ensure that brick named Biden is back in office.
The midterms should tell us all that.
Yes the economy was better under Trump, but the pink haired bunch don't care.
If Trump wins the ticket, Biden is a lock. We are doomed and could not unite our party if our lives depended on it.
And there is nothing we could do to even mildly splinter the unity on the left.
I don't like it. But I am not going to ignorantly deny it, just because I don't want it to be so.
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