“Real America”
“Real America knows the Biden Administration has been a disaster.” - Jim Jordan, 4/25/23.
It is pretty obvious what Jim Jordan means when he says “Real America”. For Jim, to be part of real America you must:
Oppose a woman’s right to choose;
Support unlimited gun rights for all;
Blindly and uncritically support Donald Trump;
Believe racism is dead and
Oppose trans rights, indeed you must work to erase the existence of Trans people.
If you are LGBTQ+, supportive of democratic norms and institutions, if you are liberal or democrat you are not part of “Real America.” You can be black and in Jim’s “Real America” but only if you believe there is no such thing as racism. You must think, act and look just as Jim and others in the GOP do. This “Real America” is defined by exclusion. If you cannot fit the conservative mold, then you are other. You are on the outside, and you just can’t come in.
According to Jim Jordan, I am not a part of “Real America'.” Luckily, Jim and his conservative buddies do not define what America is, or what it means to be American. In my youth I was an idealist, I am no longer. But I do believe in an America that is always on the horizon. I believe in an America we are always approaching. The progress is slow, to be sure. There are days when we take two steps back for one forward. But its out there, I see it and I believe in it.
I believe “Real America” is a place where we will move toward greater tolerance. It is place where trans people have rights, and can be respected as human beings irrespetive of their pronouns. It is a place, where we work to move past racism, religious intolerence and gender inequity. “Real America” is populated by liberals, democrats, republicans, conservative, LGBTQ+ persons, Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, blacks, hispanics and asians. “Real America” is also populated by racists and bigots. The criteria to be in “Real America” is to be human. It is a place that moves toward inclusion.
Jim Jordan’s “Real America” is defined by hate and intolerance. It is defined by pushing people out. Mine is defined by progress toward inclusion. All are welcome. Jim can keep his “Real America”, his views are small and narrow-minded.
