Diversity is a Strength
As we've covered before, the "great replacement" theory, or something extremely close to it, has been a near-constant buzz in the news lately. People are talking about and trying to understand this idea that, given the changing demographics in America or due to an influx of immigrants, white Americans are slowly being replaced. Of course, the theory does not stop there because it is not enough to say that non-white people are replacing white Americans- the American way of life must also be in danger.
Setting aside that the American way of life has always been fluid (Thomas Jefferson certainly would not know what to do about McDonald's) we don't know how serious we should understand the supposed "great replacement' to be. That question is at the heart of a recent WaPo article from Tarah Williams, Nazita Lajevardi, Evan Stewart, and Roy Whitaker. Their findings note that 6% of Americans fear demographic change and are likely to say that violence is necessary to maintain the American way of life. 6% does not seem like a large number; however, that is somewhere between 10 to 20 million people, depending on the margin for error. That means 10 to 20 million more people might feel compelled to commit violent acts like the mass shooting in Buffalo only three weeks ago.
How can those who despise both violence and the "great replacement" theory respond to this phenomenon in a way that might help ease the fears of the 6 percent?
First, it might be helpful to rely on some wisdom from Paul the Apostle. Like many collective groups of different people, America is similar to a body. Every small part is necessary so that the whole body can function. Every part, those we understand and those we do not, plays an essential role in the proper flourishing of the entire body. Our bodies are better because of the many different parts that make them up.
In the same way, the diversity of people is a strength of America as a nation. America's founders instilled in this country the lofty ideal that all are created equal, but we can only reach a point where all are equal when different voices and perspectives are included. This is why the "great replacement" is such a vile conspiracy theory. Immigrants are not replacing anyone. They are adding value because they help us to see another perspective. Non-white Americans are not replacing anyone. They also add value because they can speak to our blindspots in ways that white Americans have not always been able to. Where would the advancement of Civil Rights be without great men like Martin Luther King Jr. or John Lewis? Who would have spoken up for the rights of migrant workers better than Larry Itliong? Would women have the right to vote without the hard work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony?
America has always been greater than the sum of its parts because of the diverse group of people willing to call America home. We need one another, and we need each other to be different.
3 More Things
1) Andy Stanley is back in the news talking about his new book, Not In It to Win It. John Blake at CNN talked with Stanley about his new book, and the interview is worth reading. Stanley rightfully calls out the current politicization of the church on the right and the left. As well as discussing his idea for how Christians should act moving forward, namely sticking to the teachings of Jesus but not wrapping those up any political party.
2) On a similar note, Sarah Jones of New York Magazine interviewed Phillip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry on the release of their new book, The Flag and The Cross. Gorski and Perry's book takes on white Christian Nationalism, arguing that "white Christian nationalists share a set of common anti-democratic beliefs and principles." The interview helps illuminate why Gorski and Perry believe white Christian nationalists to be such a dangerous threat to American democracy.
3) Tom LoBianco covered Ben Sasse's recent speech at the Reagan Foundation for Yahoo News. Sasse called out the "weirdos" on the right and left who are more interested in "political performance art" than governing. LoBianco notes in his article that the shape of the Republican party post-Trump is still unclear and that Sasse, like others who spoke at the Reagan Foundation, could be prepping for a presidential run.