Anger as a Political Force


In President Trump's address launching his reelection, he recited his grievances and anger at many things. Those who support him, we assume, have the same anger.

Probably most of us are angry at something in politics. We all know anger can win an election. But, if it misfires the results can be worse than they were when the anger was expressed.

In the year 1900, Carry Nation walked into a bar and began throwing pieces of brick at the mirror and bottles of whiskey. She left a mess. Later that day she did the same thing in two other bars. She kept doing it for several months. Her anger at alcohol and its influence on husbands spread across the country and eventually brought prohibition. The political element was the belief that the single most important problem of the time was alcohol. Stop drinking and the country would be a happy place.

Her anger was misplaced. Prohibition was overturned and today alcohol is consumed in larger quantities than in her day. Carry Nation's anger missed its mark. Alcohol was not the big problem she thought it to be.

In my lifetime, segregation was maintained by angry white people. They used the Bible to justify it and tried endless times to pass enforceable laws against mixed race marriage. All thirteen colonies had laws against these marriages and they did not end until a court decision in 1967. Since then the percentage of mixed race marriages has been on the rise. This anger missed its mark also.

A few decades back, I witnessed personally red faced angry protesters at the Fargo abortion clinic. They were at almost all clinics. They chanted, carried signs, chained themselves together and blocked streets and sidewalks. They seem just as angry today as they were then, though they do not use the same tactics. Over these decades, every woman who wanted an abortion got one.

Today, angry anti abortion operatives believe they are on the cusp of overturning Roe. While they are talking up this, women from both parties in Congress are protecting birth control availability. They are angry too. My guess is they will prevail in keeping abortion legal, maybe more available than it is now.

Comments

  1. tsmJune 19, 2019 at 6:33 PM

    I do not admire Carry and the prohibitionists. but, to comment on the issues of the times, there was a serious problem with alcoholism among the so-called working class. employers didn't appreciate the absences and the concomitant loss of productivity. the "progressives" of the time were concerned about drinking among the Irish and other "furiners". the social work folks had some very serious concerns regarding drinking and family life. the eugenicists were concerned about the lower classes and their habits. (n.b. there was quite a bit of overlap between the eugenicists and the "progressives" of the time. I would suggest a bit of historical research before you "sound off" on issues such as prohibition, abortion and the like. noticed, too, that you didn't appreciate my comments re Jinks. but I understand: unpleasant people who agree with you get a pass, others are held to a high standard and get censored. yeah, such is life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jon LindgrenJune 19, 2019 at 7:57 PM

      "I would suggest a bit of historical research before you sound off..." I would suggest you do the same.

      Delete
  2. Jon LindgrenJune 19, 2019 at 7:55 PM

    "yeah, such is life." If you start a blog site like this you can use whatever concept of equity you choose. Then you can put up with petty and small minded criticisms. Jinx once wrote about being sexually abused by a priest in a small city not too far from Fargo. She didn't and shouldn't reveal more about it for her own safety. I happen to know who the priest was and what diocese it was. After she did this Noah of a few others screamed here that she did not give newspaper and court records about the allegation. When she refused they screamed "liar, liar." So, if she called Noah a worm it was a quite polite adjective. If you want to stick with some issue she brings up I will publish that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. tsmJune 20, 2019 at 7:02 AM

    OK. I know all that. but I don't think that worms and other such epithets can be considered "quite polite". end of story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JinxJune 23, 2019 at 5:37 PM

      He certainly wasn't appropriate or polite to anyone so he got back what he gave.

      Delete
  4. Jon LindgrenJune 20, 2019 at 8:13 AM

    OK, you don't think it was a appropriate response, I think it was.

    ReplyDelete

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