What disturbed me so much about it is that it isn't too far from what I'd imagine would happen. Often times I wonder if America, though outwardly becoming more accepting of other cultures, is actually Orson Welles 1984 and this film as an instructional manual. Sometimes I fear that the soon-to-be minority of fundamentalist Christians will be the ruling oligarchy of America and have their way with this country; ravaging freedom like Jack the Ripper having a field day in London. It's a gruesome reality that I shudder to think about, especially in knowing that I was raised as fundamentalist Christian. (In case anyone was wondering, Walt Whitman amongst others fled to Canada when he found out that slavery was far from being abolished in this alternate timeline. Harriet Tubman tried to help former-President Lincoln escape, but both were captured.) It was basically the story of how Manifest Destiny would play out if it hadn't become a subversive narrative underlying American popular culture. That's right folks, I'm saying it. Manifest Destiny is a live and well today, just not overt and openly admitted by anyone.
Want to know something else super disturbing? Many of the products featured in the commercials were actual products that existed in our real universe (See #10 and #3 for the examples that I'm referring to). I wish I could tell you to go ahead and pat yourself on the back because all of that disappeared back in the 1950's, but what about Aunt Jemima's Syrup and Uncle Ben's Instant Rice? Folks, we're not as far removed from the horrors of our past as we'd like to think. How we've handled the conflict in the Middle East is indicative of our failure to learn from past mistakes. Sure, we're no longer under the authority of that warlord psychopath Bush, but President Obama is no savior; prophet, or angel. He's just a man, perhaps a more honest man with a great sense of humor, but still a man. In some ways, electing him has given America some false hope, as if electing a black man into presidency means something. Obama was put up against McCain and you expected anything different? That old fart was no match for President Obama. McCain started out strong, but in an effort to appeal to more and more interest groups, the guy ended up being a middle ground between liberal and conservative.
There has been some significant changes since then, but we cannot become complacent in the successes of our fore bearers. Currently, I've seen some great stuff coming out of the Occupy movement. My concern is the political agenda of modern social justice movements. I've seen a lot of communists, socialist, far-left liberals, and so on all backing the Occupy movement. The problem? Everyone needs to be involved in a social justice. Another problem? Occupy is not synonymous with social justice. Just as marching with Dr. King during the Civil Rights Movement wouldn't necessarily make me a social justice advocate, social justice is far bigger and has more wide-reaching implications and applications than mere protest. I'm digressing from the point.
Want a good glimpse at the Manifest Destiny undertones made (ready for it?) MANIFEST? Watch this film and see what one film maker and some devoted cast and crew see as America's future had the MD narrative been allowed to flourish openly.
Peace that surpasses all understanding,
James
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