Saving the Soul Of America.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964: America's True Founding. While many consider July 4, 1776, as America's founding date, a compelling argument can be made that the United States as we know it today was truly born in the 1960s with the passing of the Civil Rights Act. This landmark legislation, signed into law on July 2, 1964, by President Lyndon B. Johnson, fundamentally reshaped the nation's social, political, and economic landscape.
A New Constitutional Framework
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 effectively rewrote the American social contract, providing substance to the lofty ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. It outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin, finally giving teeth to the 14th and 15th Amendments ratified nearly a century earlier.
Dismantling Jim Crow
This legislation marked the beginning of the end for the Jim Crow era, which had maintained a system of legalized segregation and discrimination for decades after the abolition of slavery. By prohibiting segregation in public accommodations and banning discriminatory practices in employment, the Act initiated a seismic shift in American society.
A More Perfect Union
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 can be seen as the true fulfillment of the promise of equality enshrined in the nation's founding documents. It took nearly 200 years for the United States to live up to its creed that "all men are created equal." This act, more than any other piece of legislation, made that ideal a legal reality.
Legacy and Ongoing Impact
As we pass the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act in 2024, its profound impact on American society continues to resonate. The legislation paved the way for further civil rights advancements, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968. In conclusion, while the United States may have declared its independence in 1776, it was not until the 1960s that it fulfilled its promise of freedom and equality for all. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 represents a second founding, one that more closely aligns with the nation's professed values and ideals.
The Seeds of Division
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, while a monumental step towards equality, also marked the beginning of a deep ideological split in American politics. This division, culminating in the current polarization led by figures like Steve Bannon and Donald Trump, can be traced back to the debates surrounding this legislation. During the Senate debates in 1964, Southern Democrats launched a 57-day filibuster against the bill, the longest in Senate history. This resistance to civil rights legislation marked the beginning of a realignment in American politics, with many Southern Democrats eventually shifting their allegiance to the Republican Party.
The Southern Strategy and Its Legacy
In the years following the Civil Rights Act, the Republican Party adopted what became known as the "Southern Strategy," appealing to white voters who felt threatened by racial integration and civil rights advancements. This strategy effectively flipped the solid Democratic South to a Republican stronghold, a persistent political reality.
Modern Manifestations
The Great Divide we see today, exemplified by the populist rhetoric of Steve Bannon and the "Make America Great Again" slogan of Donald Trump, can be seen as a continuation of this backlash against civil rights progress. Their appeals to a romanticized past often harken back to a pre-Civil Rights Act era, tapping into the same veins of racial anxiety and resistance to social change that emerged in the 1960s. In conclusion, while the Civil Rights Act of 1964 represented a new founding for America based on principles of equality, it also triggered a reactionary movement that continues to shape American politics. The Great Divide we see today is, in many ways, the long-term consequence of the seismic shift in American society that began with this landmark legislation.
The Battle for America's Soul
As we pass the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, America finds itself at a crossroads that will define its future. The nation is embroiled in a struggle between two competing visions: a Christian Nationalist country (and, for many, a White Christian Nationalist country) or a Secular Pluralist one. Christian nationalism, which seeks to blend American civic life with a specific brand of evangelical Christianity, has gained significant traction in recent years. Now, Project 2025 is a written vision that many on the Right have embraced as their passionate cry for their kind of America. Nearly half of Americans agree that the country was founded as and should remain a Christian nation, and Project 2025 aspires to make that vision a political reality. This ideology, however, threatens the principles of religious pluralism and the separation of church and state upon which the nation was built. On the other side, secular pluralists advocate for a diverse, inclusive society that upholds the First Amendment's establishment clause. They argue that the fusion of Christianity with American civic life goes against key features of the American experiment, mainly pluralism and religious liberty. To counter the rise of Christian nationalism and preserve America's secular pluralist foundation, bold and radically progressive measures are needed. These measures must spark the imagination and offer a vision for a new America that addresses the failures of both Republicans and Democrats to advance the country towards a more perfect Union.
A Call for Radical Progressivism
The country must embrace breathtaking radical economic progressivism to save America from potential demise. This approach promises to lift everyone out of poverty and fundamentally change the nation's direction. Key elements of this progressive agenda include:
Targeting genuine full employment through macroeconomic policy levers.
Investing in early childhood education, infrastructure, and public health care.
Strengthening antitrust regulations and introducing competition to private markets.
Reregulating the financial sector to enhance productivity and efficiency.
Implementing climate change mitigation measures.
These policies would not only boost overall growth rates but also halt the rise of inequality, providing faster average growth with more widely distributed benefits2.
Restoring Democracy
Fundamental changes to the political system are necessary to realize this vision of a secular, pluralist America fully. One crucial step is ending the influence of big money in politics, exemplified by the Citizens United decision. By removing the outsized influence of wealthy donors and corporations, the country can move closer to a genuinely representative democracy. In conclusion, America stands at a pivotal moment in its history. The choice between Christian nationalism and secular pluralism will shape the nation's future for generations. By embracing radical progressivism and bold reforms, the United States can reaffirm its commitment to pluralism, equality, and the separation of church and state, ultimately fulfilling the promise of a more perfect Union.
Conclusion
America stands at one of the most dangerous crossroads in its history, a moment as perilous as the Civil War. This is not just a political divide—a democracy-ending crossroads, an ideological civil war that threatens to tear the nation apart. The very fabric of the United States is being tested, and we find ourselves in a conflict where brother and sister could once again fight against brother and sister—not with muskets and bayonets, but with ideologies that strike at the heart of what this country stands for. We must draw a hard line in the sand at this critical juncture.
The debate over whether America was founded on Christian virtues or Enlightenment ideals is not without merit. Those who believe this country is rooted in Christian ethics are not wrong—Judeo-Christian principles undeniably influenced the moral framework of the nation. However, America was also founded on Enlightenment ideals: rationality, liberty, equality, and the belief in individual rights.
These ideals were infused with Judeo-Christian ethics but were never meant to be subjugated to any one religious doctrine. For Christian Nationalists to place Jesus as the pinnacle of the republic, suppressing all other perspectives betrays the very soul of the nation’s founding. Religious freedom is not just a principle enshrined in our Constitution—it is one of the core pillars of America’s identity. To abandon this pillar in favor of a singular religious ideology would be to unravel the foundation upon which this nation was built. The only path forward for America to remain united is through Secular Pluralism.
This vision allows people of all faiths—and those of no faith—to coexist under a government that does not privilege one belief system over another. Only through this pluralistic approach can we preserve liberty and equality for all. Anything else risks devolving into tyranny—tyranny of one group over another, tyranny that erodes democracy itself. The stakes could not be higher. The choice before us is stark: unity through pluralism or division through exclusion.
If we fail to rise to this moment with bold vision and radical progressivism, we risk losing not just our democracy but the very soul of America. Let us remember that our strength lies in our diversity and commitment to liberty for all—not just for some—and move forward together toward a more perfect Union.
