Are We Still In America Or Did America Change?

When I was a young boy, growing up in Greece in the 1960s, America was the metaphor of heaven on earth. For the boys, it meant mechanical toys—toy cars that moved on their own and had flashing lights. For my sisters, it meant dolls that cried when turned upside down, that had glass eyes and looked real—and so many other wonders that were sent to us from our family who had moved to America. That land, so far away from the corner of the old and tired world that was Greece, was the promised land. It meant glamour, abundant freedom, and people who were generous and brave—people who gave freely to support Europe during her time of peril, after having sacrificed her sons to liberate the old continent from the Nazis.

Of course, reality might not have been as glorious as the dreams of a young child, but nevertheless, the Statue of Liberty actually meant something to Americans. They were, for the most part, welcoming the “tired and poor” and offering them the chance to acquire the American Dream. Anyone could own a home, a car, have enough to eat, and educate their children—as long as they worked hard and played by the rules. Yes, there was plenty of prejudice, but America was working its way toward that “shining city on the hill.” Progress was evident—from the women’s movement to civil rights legislation. Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream speech was becoming a reality.

Much time has passed since then. There have been fits and starts, but at least we knew that America’s democracy was built on strong foundations. This country could never produce a Hitler or a Mussolini. America is blessed with abundant resources—fertile land as wide as an ocean. Europe empowered dictators because she was starving after wars that had devastated her. America was never invaded; her cities were never in ruins over the last 160 years. Democracy couldn’t be a victim in the land that had nurtured her since 1776.

Two hundred and fifty years after America’s independence, the leader of the free world is now rated a “partial democracy.” Freedoms and rights that were once taken for granted have been degraded. Countries that America imposed democracy upon—such as Japan and Germany—now score higher in democratic ratings than America herself. The Statue of Liberty’s poignant welcome to the tired “masses” has become a point of derision. The Christian faith that once guided the country’s moral compass has been hijacked by circus barkers, selling a God who cares about personal wealth, not the good of the world.

How can a nation, at the best moment in its history—having overtaken communism, with its cultural and military power at its apex, and a booming economy—consider itself a victim of its allies, claiming it has been taken advantage of for so many years? If NATO depended on America, it was to her benefit. It made America richer and safer. America led a world that wanted to be allied with her. No country was forced to join America’s world.

Democracy is not without its flaws. It produces leaders who are selfish, power-hungry—liars, cheaters, scam artists. Usually, those leaders don’t go too far. Voters realize who they’re dealing with and show them the door. Why that didn’t happen with the current president is a study in American character. Were people drawn to his TV stardom? Very possible—it has happened before. Were they drawn to his Croesus-like, gold-engraved world, partaking vicariously in the same fantasy? Were Americans persuaded by easy solutions to complex problems?

After all, didn’t Americans see the danger that our democracy escaped by a hair on January 6th, five years ago? Didn’t Americans equate his hatred of others with Hitler’s anti-Jewish rhetoric? Why didn’t Americans reject his partisanship—his evisceration of tolerance for others that makes this world habitable? What happened to the generous and hospitable people that Europeans loved and longed to join?

Is there anything that we, as Orthodox Christians, can do to ameliorate this travesty of the American Dream? Our numbers are small, but our faith tells us never to give up. We should all do our part—by voting, by standing up for what is just, as our faith commands:

“Speak out; judge righteously; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” — Proverbs 31:9

Orthodoxy is not simply attending church once in a while, making the sign of the cross, or fasting every so often. Standing up for the weak and the poor, offering a safe harbor to the dispossessed, is far more important. As Christ taught:

“Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” — Luke 3:11

He never told us to kiss a bishop’s hand and address him as “eminence” or “grace.” We do not accumulate points with God by doing so.

A country is the sum of its people. The way we treat others makes a profound difference. Demanding that our leaders act as God intended—and not as their selfish desires guide them—is what will return this country to its rightful path. We all can make that difference. Let us make this country what America’s founders envisioned, almost two hundred and fifty years to the date.

Comments and corrections are welcome—public or private. Please refer to Scripture.