The Arch of History Moves Toward Justice

Frustrating as it is to see some of Christianity insult, badger and push back progress of women, gays and minorities there can be no doubt conservatives have consistently lost over time. There was once slavery and segregation. Japanese were jailed. Women could not vote. Unions could not organize. Schools could force non Christian children to pray Christian prayers. Atheists, Hindus, Muslims and Wiccans could not open public meetings with their statements. The list is long of improvements for those who were wronged by society but ran over their enemies is surprisingly long.  

Based on this history one has to be optimistic about the future. Yet many current circumstances remain obstacle to justice for minorities and women.  Conservative people and their politicians, especially conservative Christians, are trying to stop opportunity for those they dislike and enhance it for their favorites. Their favorites are white males.

The most personal of services is that of medicine. Poor people die earlier than the not so poor. There can be only one explanation, the poor have less access to medical services. During and after the Obama Administration there was a constant concerted effort to overturn Obamacare. If low income people could have affordable health care it had to be stopped, was the rallying cry. Again, the long arch of history toward fairness and ethical treatment of fellow citizens is bending toward universal health care. 

The topic dealt with here so often, abortion rights, is something to watch. As we all know, a case is going to the Supreme Court that would make it possible for state to ban completely abortion services. If anti abortion forces prevail, this leaves unresolved how women who have had miscarriages will be treated by law enforcement. 

It leaves unresolved, also, how law enforcement will treat abortions outside the medical community. In countries that ban abortions abortions continue for all women with some money. For that portion of society it matters not whether abortions are legal on not legal. Many citizens are not even aware abortions are illegal in their countries. Political operatives make sure a few poor women who cannot afford lawyers are prosecuted. This gets the anti abortion political arm off their backs and leaves everyone else going about as if abortion were legal.

It just does not seem possible this country could reverse its long history of addressing injustice and leave unresolved the availability of medical services to women and low income people. Addressing injustice is a bull dozer that eventually buries its opposition.