Fall 2020: Democracy in Crisis! Week 7

Week 7 THE PERILS AND PRIDE OF PATRIOTISM 22nd October 2020

 

Timothy Patrick McCarthy is an award-winning historian, educator, and human rights activist who has taught on Harvard's faculty since 2005. Dr. McCarthy currently holds a joint appointment in the undergraduate honors program in History and Literature, Graduate School of Education, and Kennedy School of Government, where he is Core Faculty at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy. He is also Stanley Paterson Professor of American History in the Boston Clemente Course, a free college course for lower income adults in Dorchester, where he has taught since its founding in 2001.

He is the author or editor of five books, including the forthcoming Stonewall's Children: Living Queer History in an Age of Liberation, Loss, and Love, and a frequent media commentator. Dr. McCarthy has devoted his life to public service and social justice. He currently serves as Board Chair for Free the Slaves, a leading global NGO in the fight against modern slavery, and also hosts and directs A.R.T. of Human Rights and Resistance Mic! through the Tony Award-winning American Repertory Theater, where he serves on the Board of Advisors.

Click here to play lecture (54 minutes).

Crystal Lucas-Perry plays John Adams in the 2020 revival of the musical 1776 by the American Repertory Theater.

“As we embark on our journey together on this production, we find ourselves reckoning with our country’s history, reexamining the pivotal moment of our nation’s founding portrayed in 1776—the writing of the Declaration of Independence, a ‘promissory note,’ that, in Martin Luther King’s words ‘America has defaulted on.’ Our cast includes multiple representations of gender, race, and ethnicity that allow this revival of 1776 to more broadly reflect today’s America, our America.” 

– Diane Paulus, Director of 1776 / Terrie and Bradley Bloom Artistic Director

Is Anybody There? is the song that John Adams sings when he's referring to the rest of Congress not seeing his way on Independence after the South walked out on Adams' defending Jefferson's clause against slavery. These are the lyrics by Sherman Edwards from previous productions.

John Adams:

Is anybody there?

Does anybody care?

Does anybody see what I see?

They want to me to quit; they say

John, give up the fight

Still to England I say

Good night, forever, good night!

For I have crossed the Rubicon

Let the bridge be burned behind me

Come what may, come what may

Commitment!

The croakers all say we'll rue the day

There'll be hell to pay in fiery purgatory

Through all the gloom, through all the gloom

I see the rays of ravishing light and glory!

Is anybody there? Does anybody care?

Does anybody see what I see?

I see fireworks! I see the pageant and

Pomp and parade

I hear the bells ringing out

I hear the cannons roar

I see Americans - all Americans

Free forever more

How quiet, how quiet the chamber is

How silent, how silent the chamber is

Is anybody there? Does anybody care?

Does anybody see what I see?

A hole in the wall for social change

By Kate Cunningham

Kate Cunningham is a first-year journalism student at Emerson College from Charlotte, North Carolina. She went to high school at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts for ballet as a part of their boarding high school program. She is happiest when she is in nature, creating, writing, and spending time with those that she loves.

This is Kate's story after attending WomenExplore Fall lecture 2018 on " How to sustain momentum while working for change" featured Tim McCarthy and Paula Chandoha on November 15, 2018. 

***

Hands were stiff from the bitter cold air of Cambridge on Nov. 15th. My nose was pink and my eyes squinted against the harsh breeze as I searched for The Democracy Center. I was supposed to be there minutes ago, but I had yet to find it. I was so concerned I was going to have to walk in late and I didn’t know what to do. It’s safe to say that I was ecstatic when I finally came across the sign reading “Struggles, Strengths, and Strategies.” 

I walked into the warm building and turned to my right to be welcomed by a friendly face. I explained that I was a journalism student from Emerson College doing a report on the lecture. The woman who greeted me was eager to get me a seat positioned so I had a perfect view. I hadn’t had anything to worry about. 

Glancing around the room, I was surrounded by predominantly older women. There were a few men and a few students, including myself. People were eating their homemade snacks and lunches. Half-full coffee cups rested next to most people’s chairs and almost everyone in the room had notebooks out taking notes for the sole purpose of learning. 

I was by far the youngest person in the room, and it was inspiring. As someone who has spent their entire life living in the South, it is indescribably refreshing to be in a room with members of older generations that are still trying to make changes in favor of marginalized groups and to educate the public on the whole. They have never given up. When the idea that the older you get the more conservative you get came into the conversation, there was a significant group of older women who had a good chuckle about how inaccurate it was for them. 

Paula Chandoha kick-started the event by speaking about her personal experiences with change. She said she was eager to talk about “how much I hate change and how much I like momentum.” 

She talked about was a time that her family bought a goat named April that she hated. She was upset with her family’s decision, but many years later she was able to reflect and realize she didn’t actually hate the goat, rather she hated the change the goat brought in her life. It was a big change that her younger-self felt threatened by because of the unknown surrounding it; she could not control how it affected her. 

The story of the goat is a fun, extraneous example, but one that many can relate to. Many people have experienced a dislike for something largely because it brought about big changes in their life. They may not realize it in the moment, but eventually, it is possible to come to terms with the fact that it was the unfamiliarity that made you dislike the something so greatly. 

As a journalism major, reading the news is a big part of my curriculum. It is so important to not only stay informed but to also be familiar with the theory and tactics currently being used. Exposure is a momentous part of learning about journalism. With the current political state, however, reading the news thoroughly every day can be detrimental to your mentality. 

Chandoha talks about change being a “willingness to stay conscious,” but she admits even she needs help with it. She said, “I go to therapy, I read poetry, I look out the window.” All of those things help her stay clear-minded amidst “the chaos of change.” During that chaos though, she advised the audience to “stay informed”, noting that she has had “to learn to not get saturated in it.” It is about finding a balance of being exposed to the current struggles and successes of our world, but doing so in a manner that is beneficial to you. 

Chandoha stopped mid-sentence when she realized it was 12 p.m. and her time was up. The audience laughed with her before she finished her thought and redirected the attention to Tim McCarthy. 

The love that the group had for McCarthy left me with a huge smile on my face. While being introduced, he was labeled as one of their “favorite favorite people.” He said “I think this is my tenth time coming to you… I live across the street. It would be hard to say no.” The audience joined him with more laughter. At this point, the energy in the room was radiating and enticing. I was on the edge of my seat, alert for what may come next. 

Upon hearing about my pitch, my professor encouraged me to think about the irony of a middle-aged white man being an influential speaker in the women’s rights movement. It had crossed my mind, but I did not question it once I heard McCarthy speak. From the hour, or so, that I heard his words, I can understand how he has the ability to impact a variety of people from middle-school-aged boys to traditionalists and baby boomers. He comes from a place of genuine care and concern for protecting the under protected of our nation and world. 

McCarthy shared five points: tell your story, understand the issue and “find your squad,” provide solidarity, embrace people who could become allies, and pay it forward.

He elaborated on how to tell our stories and urged us to ask questions to find the meaning of our stories. When sharing your story, McCarthy stressed the importance of answering “why?”, when saying, “We all have an answer to the why question and if we don’t, then we have to find the capacity to develop it. The “why” answer is what instigates action. I love this idea for a couple of reasons. It promotes self-reflection, growth, and physical change.” 

Personally, I am a very curious person. I like to ask people questions that make them think, I like reading, and I like to learn about new things. When writing, a tactic I use is to read my argument and continue to ask questions that develop it more. It is like squeezing out a towel that has been soaked in water. You keep twisting it up until there is nothing left to give. With this being said, the next idea resonated with me immensely. 

By asking “why?”, you learn whether you have that answer or not. From there, you either compose of your answer and begin to develop it, or you learn what you need to do in order to get to a place where you can answer it. If you know that you have the answer, then you are able to dig deeper into the meaning behind your story. If you don’t, then you learn to grow and get to a place where you can. Either way, both instigate self-awareness of your personal understanding, physical growth in your story, and both result in tangible changes.

McCarthy also said that “often we talk about the movement part” which is what makes changes, but the social part is necessary. I have thought about this tremendously since hearing him say it the first time, especially because I often preach the phrase “live by example.” In order for feelings, passions, and thoughts to be truly genuine, they must come solely from within. When you live by example, you are able to show someone why you feel and think what you do without making them feel like you are preaching to them. 

The word “movement” comes after “social” in the phrase “social movement”, something that is also true in the process of a social movement. People have to be exposed and educated on new ideologies before they feel inclined to instigate action. So, while the movement part is what creates the actual change, it all starts with socializing in a subtle manner. McCarthy reminded the group that, “The momentum doesn’t need to go from a trickle to a tsunami.” Big social movements take time. While that can be frustrating or discouraging, it is a good reminder to hear from someone creating change in his day-to-day life. 

One of my favorite moments of the lecture was when McCarthy recalled a conversation with his mother where she said, “I don’t think I will live to see the first woman president.” He commented on the depth of seriousness in her voice— she was not exaggerating. He brought this point up to stress the importance of being a part of a movement, not for yourself, but for future generations. He made note that, “For those of us involved in long-term work, we can’t be motivated by a complete result.” It can be discouraging to not see a tangible change in your lifetime, but often times, the hardest part is starting. By initiating change and conversation, you create momentum for future generations.  

 

As for solidarity, McCarthy said that momentum starts there, but is not sustained there. Providing solidarity to someone, or a group creates allies. McCarthy looked at Chandoha before saying that he cannot understand her struggles being a female, but he can “commit to recognizing the injustices and discrimination” that she faces. Addressing the situations where one offers solidarity to a group that they do not personally identify with, McCarthy said with a passion of past experience that, “those are the moments that test your solidarity… when you’re not getting a trophy for the group you are showing up for.” Again, he reiterated the idea that genuine care for the justice of underrepresented people has to come from internal desires. 

I was not entirely sure what this lecture would be like, so when I left buzzing with excitement, adrenaline, and inspiration— I was thrilled. 

After the lecture, Lindsa Vallee, a consistent presence at WomenExplore and the person who introduced both Chandoha and McCarthy, said that the organization’s goal is to expand the horizons of individuals and create an “open and vibrant” environment.

After each lecture, anyone who wants to help plan for future meetings can stay and participate after any lecture. Vallee said the organizers are all equal and everyone is welcome.

 

Community members like Lindsa Vallee and influencers like Timothy McCarthy have helped to initiate conversations in a range of communities. WomenExplore is one of the many places in Boston giving a space for voices to be heard and things to be learned and acts as a catalyst for Vallee and McCarthy to do their work.

***

 

The Myths and Realities of How Americans See Themselves

This is the text of a talk given by Susan Nulsen on 26^th September 2013 following Timothy Patrick McCarthy on the same topic.

Bio: Susan was born and educated in Australia. Shortly after she married she went to England where she stayed for about nine years from the late 70s to the mid 80s and then also spent another year there in two different stretches during the 90s. She has now spent a similar length of time in the US.

Talk:

I always look forward to hearing Tim McCarthy speak. He has such insightful things to say. But I quite had the wind taken out of my sails when I heard he needed to leave early and I had to speak after him. He is a very hard act to follow!

As you can see from my bio, I have no qualifications to speak on how Americans see themselves. Almost every one of you is better qualified than me!

So I will start by describing my earliest interactions with Americans, and then tell you some of the myths I learned about America and how my experiences have led me to judge these.

My mother and an Australian friend

The first people I could identify as American were a couple of young women my mother was friends with when we lived in Mount Isa, a small remote copper mining town in Queensland. As a ten year old I had very little interaction with them. However they stood out because they dressed strangely; to my mind they seemed very elegant but very old-fashioned. They wore dresses that stood out stiffly over big petticoats. My mother and her other friends often went around in shorts which were much more suited to the tropical climate.

Some stockmen

Around this time, although there was no television in the town, my family would gather around the radio on Tuesday evenings to listen to a couple of radio shows which often included American westerns. Since Mt Isa was in the middle of cattle country the westerns seemed very appropriate. (I should say that we didn't have “cowboys” or six-shooters; instead the people who strode around in high-heeled riding boots and rounded up the cattle were known as “stockmen”.) So I was already getting a dose of American culture.

The Pine Gap Facility

The first time I met Americans of my own age was when we moved to Alice Springs. These were the children of people working at the “secret” American communications base at Pine Gap. It wasn't very secret, in that everyone in the town knew of its existence, but not even the Australian government knew what information was gathered or relayed from there. The most notable thing about these children was their contagious American accents. It was impossible to talk to them for very long without starting to sound like them yourself.

Also when we lived in Alice Springs my family spent a lot of time going bush on camping trips. On these adventures we seemed to meet a lot of retired Americans travelling around the country in camper vans. Many of these described themselves as “rock hounds” – they collected interesting, often semi-precious, stones. My sister and I were told we could be “pebble pups”. On one of our camping trips we took Bea, an American journalist from Cleveland, with us to see some of the spectacular scenery in the ranges out of Alice Springs. I have no idea how she got in touch with my family – maybe my father had given his contact details to some of the American tourists we had met previously. So it is very possible that my family, through Bea's writing, influenced how some Americans saw Australia.

When I was fourteen I used to wait at the school bus stop with a girl who was absolutely furious with her parents because they had refused to allow a couple of these American tourists to adopt her and take her back home with them! I still don't understand how she couldn't see her parents point of view. Around this time I also made friends with an American girl who lived in a fantasy world. Both her parents worked, which was unusual at that time, and each afternoon she was responsible for caring for her younger siblings. Her thirteen year old sister did nothing to help take care of the two little boys who ran wild! Janice told me all about the exciting life she led on the French Riviera where she had her own speed boat.

I met a few more Americans in high school and at university. As you can see, I had had contact with only a handful of Americans. However I was still exposed to American culture through films, books, cartoons and comic books.

It was when we went to Cambridge in the UK for my husband, Paul, to do his PhD that we met a large number of Americans and became good friends with some. Because of our common language I would also often end up spending time with the American wives at conferences at various places in Europe.

My first visit to the US was when Paul was visiting the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland as a student. We stayed with an exceedingly generous American couple who put us up for a whole six weeks. During that time I remember being at a barbecue where one person was describing loudly, in graphic detail and at great length his bout of amoebic dysentery. I had never experienced the like. Australians or British would not air their medical problems so publicly.

And the first time I lived in the US was for six months when Paul came for the launch of the Chandra satellite in 1999. We spent six weeks living right in Harvard Square, above the Harvard Book Store and the rest of the time in Newton where my daughter Alix went to high school and my son Luke to the middle school. Girls she met told Alix that she spoke “very good English.”

Finally after I came here in December 2003 I met a large array of Americans, including all of you. I have learnt that the only thing I can say with certainty about Americans is that they are a widely varied group of people and it is impossible to make any generalizations.

Now here are half a dozen myths that I have encountered.

Myth 1: Britain was NOT democratic at the time of the Declaration of Independence. (1776) The UK had been a constitutional monarchy since the Glorious Revolution of 1688 – when James II was replaced by William and Mary – around a hundred years before. It was ruled by an elected Parliament with roots stretching back to the Magna Carta in 1215. At the time of the Revolution, the trouble from the American point of view was that the Americans did not have a vote. Yet I continually hear Americans talking as if Britain had been an absolute monarchy.

Myth 2: America is the most democratic country in the world. Now America certainly set an example to the world with its constitution in the 18^th century. However constitutions written since then have been able to draw on others experience. I would like to point out two features of the Australian electoral system that promote a more democratic government. You may have heard me say this before. Preferential voting, which is the equivalent of running multiple run-off elections, eliminating the candidates one by one, provides a much fairer way of voting. Secondly making voting, and registering to vote, compulsory ensures that the outcome of an election is more fair. Just think of all the work that goes into getting out the vote here, and in Britain too.

Furthermore, far from upholding democracy around the world, the US has a history of overthrowing, or working against other countries' democratically elected governments with which it doesn't agree. Think of the Allende government in Chile.

Myth 3: One man, one vote. It is now not “one man, one vote” but “one dollar, one vote”. I know that many of you will agree whole-heartedly with me here. The electoral system has been distorted by the inordinate amounts of money needed to win an election. Politicians are chosen by their ability to raise money and spend too much of their time fund raising.

Also the control of media by wealthy media barons deprives the ordinary person of the tools to make informed choices. This is no better in Australia. Rupert Murdoch is openly boasting that he put Tony Abbot, the new Liberal (what you would call conservative) prime minister into power.

Myth 4: America is God's Own Country. I don't think I need to say anything about this!

But I would like to throw in

Myth 5: Atheists are immoral. As a non-religious person I find this statement very insulting. I have heard this or something which implies this many times – statements such as “I couldn't believe he could do something so evil, he regularly attended church.” If he hadn't attended church then it would have been believable that he could have been evil!

Myth 6: America is the land of opportunity. Anyone by their own hard work can make it rich. Anyone born a citizen can aspire to be president. This is a very dangerous myth. In fact everyone is dependent on the society they have been bought up in, their families, schools the local infrastructure. Many poor people cling to this myth as hope for their own future. If you are poor it can only be because you are lazy or made bad choices. People at the top are being rewarded for merit. Luck plays no part in your fate. If you vote for anything which penalizes the wealthy you might be penalizing yourself in the future. This myth pacifies an underclass and persuades the poor to vote against their own best interests.

I was incredibly shocked the first time I came to Boston to see beggars on the street! In the richest country in the world! It was additionally amazing to see that the numbers of them are military veterans.

Until I left Australia I never dreamt of tipping a waiter at a restaurant. I had been one myself and knew that waiters earned a reasonable wage and the price of the food covered that. I would love it if some restaurants here banned tipping and paid their staff appropriately!

Businesses feel it is in their interests to have a large pool of cheap labor with poor working conditions. So-called “illegal” immigrants provide even cheaper labor. It seems that this whole economy is dependent on these underclasses of people for cheap food, cheap goods and cheap services. A business that depends on a labor force earning less than a living wage should not be a viable business. Government support of low paid people is just another way the government is subsidizing business.

It is a very sad fact that America is an extremely unequal society and it is only becoming more unequal, despite the efforts of many good people.

The final myth I just have to mention is

Myth 7: Americans don't have an accent. Of course the only people who don't have accents are those whose who don't speak! Yet this is something I constantly hear Americans say.

I also find it strange that the accents spoken by the locals along the east coast, the areas that have been longest settled, are looked down upon by speakers of standard American. Recently a Belgian friend and her husband, who have only been here about a year, were asked for directions by an American tourist. After they had told him the way the tourist commented on their “rough Boston accents”!

I should end by saying that although I have tried to point out the fallacies in these myths there is an element of truth in many of them. America is a great country with many resources. Unfortunately it is not fully utilizing its greatest resource, its people. It has an opportunity to set a shining example to the rest of the world and I think it would be a wonderful thing if it did.

—Susan Nulsen