Make America Great Again
“The Great Yesterday” is what the late Ryszard Kapuscinski called a time in the past when things were fundamentally different from what they have become today.
People who fantasize about such a past time are tempting prey for demagogues.
Hitler understood this.
So does Trump.
If you ask a Trumpite just when was America great, you will generally hear “Before 1960.”
And what happened in the 1960s?
MLK, The Civil Rights Movement and the Civil Rights Act of 1968?
People of color began to move into positions of power, and then in this century Barack Obama did the unthinkable. A black man no longer knew his place. Found a new place. Became President.
MAGA works like a dog whistle for racists. They hear ”Make America White Again.”
Belief in a Great Yesterday is not limited to Americans.
In the UK, for example, it’s BREXIT.
BREXIT is a manifestation of that same longing for a Great Yesterday, for a time when the British Empire was ruled by whites. For a time when colored people for the most part stayed in the colonies.
We have learned that this longing is more than a febrile emotion.
It is as tangible as a red MAGA cap. It is Donald Trump. It is Boris Johnson.
Longings have consequences.
Gene Griessman is an internationally known keynote speaker, actor, and communication strategist. His book “TheWords Lincoln Lived By” is in its 23rd printing and “Time Tactics of Very Successful People” is in its 43rd printing. His training video “Lincoln on Communication” is owned by thousands of corporations, libraries, and government organizations. He has spoken at conventions and annual meetings all over the world. To learn more about his presentations, call 404-435-2225. Learn more at Atlanta Speakers Bureau or at his website. His latest book “Lincoln and Obama” has just been released by Audible.