Today’s blog
Lynn Murphy Mark
Will there be another one?
July 4, 1776, marked the day that the colonies announced their separation from Great Britain. That’s about all I remember from my high school US History class back in 1965. I’m lucky to remember that much from the mists of the past.
A Facebook friend posted, “I hope we have another Fourth next year”. I understood what she meant, especially since I just finished reading Heather Cox Richardson’s July 4th letter. More than half of the letter describes what is known as “Project 2025”. This is a terrifying document that outlines what the plans are for re-organizing these United States if 45, or any republican, wins the election. And it anticipates winning over both houses of congress as well.
Yesterday Katie put me on to a podcast by the author of “My Grandmother’s Hands”, Resmaa Menakem. I listened carefully as the author spoke about the pain of racism as it is experienced in our bodies. His theory is that trauma and its aftereffects is transferred through generations. He believes that it lives in our bodies – black bodies and white bodies too. It’s a new thought for me and I am now reading his book with great interest. I’m grateful for a long weekend so I will have plenty of time to read it.
He writes, “In America, nearly all of us, regardless of our background or skin color, carry trauma in our bodies around the myth of race. We typically think of trauma as the result of a specific and deeply painful event, such as a serious accident, an attack, or the news of someone’s death. That may be the case sometimes, but trauma can also be the body’s response to a long sequence of smaller wounds. It can be a response to anything that it experiences as too much, too soon, or too fast.”
He refers to “black body trauma”, “white body trauma”, and “white body supremacy”. He says “White body supremacy in America doesn’t just harm Black people. It damages everyone. Historically, it has also been especially brutal toward Native Americans, and, often, Latino Americans.” He outlines the ugly reality of our history of enslavement in America. It’s no wonder there is so much resistance to the teaching of Critical Race Theory. MAGA people want to bury this deep, as they work toward making America white again.
I never thought of myself as carrying unconscious racial trauma in my body. But just this little exposure to his theories explains to me the profound sadness I feel throughout my chest and abdomen at any reminder of the brutality of slavery. I feel sorrow and anger and fear in my core when I read something like “Project 2025”. It is a document that would criminalize people of color, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and anyone identified as a member of “The Deep State”, whatever the hell that is. But I am a person in the categories just mentioned.
I have my very own conspiracy theory. In my mind I have worked out the plan to use 45 as a puppet. By this I mean I believe that there are groups of ultra-conservative people who have plans like “Project 2025” and 45 is dupe enough to believe they really want him to be king. Once in place he will do their bidding and become our very own Viktor Orban or Putin. If this sounds unhinged, please google “Plan 2025” and read up on its dangerous agenda.
Yesterday was a day of deep thought and contemplation for me. I pray that our independence will remain intact and we will hear, “the chorus of our Union, when again touched, as surely as they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” (Abraham Lincoln).