Much of our lives we live based on the impressions our social world gives us and in turn we embed those concepts to determine the way we should act and how we should navigate our world. When we are treated with respect, fairness, as valuable, prompted to be special, and treated with justice we will become more than what people would expect and when we are treated with disrespect, less valuable, prompted as low value, and treated with injustice we will internalize those values and act as expected in society.
In other words, sectors of society may underperform because our environment prompts them as to their perceived inherent societal value. That spells significant lost human capital for our nation at a time when we need it most. It is also why free pass for hate crimes and behaviors are not really free as they are added to a collective understanding that leads to national success or failure. Justice helps create a level field where all Americans can advance (i.e. holding to account intentionally destructive and bigoted behaviors is necessary for long term performance and providing the right prompts of value.).
These two studies help highlight why we are loosing some of that capital......
Blue Eyed Study: Treating other races and people as less than because of superficial external differences emboldens some to take aggressive position over others (Its not specific to any race or religion.). That becomes even more likely when there is no accountability or if our institutions default to enforce these erroneous beliefs (i.e. free pass for the "sports players" who turned themselves into a pseudo hate group. I tried to help them but they have devalued the targets to a point they were not willing to take good advice. ). If we treat each person as special we will find people performance better throughout different sectors of society.
Looking Glass Self: Discrimination and racism prompt people as to their value and they internalize those distorted reflections form society. Very few people within the "wrong" races or religions can step outside the embedded perception of a lifetime of poor treatment. We can make great headway within a lifetime but we can't undo the pain and poor social programming from prior distortions. However, adjustments today are quickly exponential as people become more engaged in societal development as they see the inherent value for themselves, community and offspring (In other words, people can forgive but only when adjustments are made and they are heartfelt. i.e. my call for positive training and adjustments for any enforcement agency that didn't think before acting. It looks like at this moment one but the others could certainly learn from the default.).
At this moment in history many of our leaders are confused as to what it takes to develop a strong unified democracy that can compete on a global scale. They are often still fighting, arguing about, and promoting people who are underqualified because they are using the wrong selection criteria (i.e. the local college who hires off of race, religion and good old boy networks.). The selection criteria beyond race, religion and blind party affiliation is necessary for putting the right people in the right places.
As a light right Republican I actually don't care what religion or race you are as long as you are a good person and capable of fulfilling your duties to the highest standards (The same can be said for party affiliations as long as they dont bend into political fanaticism where reasonable and rational thought is squeezed out.). As we develop into the next level of advanced democracy we will need to move beyond superficial perspectives and into something more capable of encouraging higher functioning across our populace. Its a different management style based on ability and not nepotism.
For example, people often ask questions such as "Are you a good xxxxx?" (Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc...) None of that makes a difference to me. That would not be my concern in running a modern nation. Ethics and values as drawn from religion is important but the specific religion is not important. I would want people with values and that can come from multiple sources.
Religion should be a positive and encouraging influence. Ethical frame works and genuine religious practice can be positive but judgmental exclusionary values are not based in the teachings of religion but the needs of man. Religions are expected to be prosocial and helpful aspects of society that encourages us to be better, more forgiving, and more insightful. They are about insight and growth (i.e. wait to understand before you throw a stone kind of concept. Forgive versus retaliate, find solutions versus create problems, be kind to your neighbors, don't steel/embezzle/waste taxpayer money, etc....)
Likewise, the knowledge one gains from living within a certain racial perspective is important but the specific race is not important to me. Sharing, understanding, and integrating that perspective into our collective knowledge banks provides another diverse vantage point to master national challenges. When used well diversity can help us see problems in perspectives that other less diverse nations cannot.
In other words, we are taking what we saw as a point of contention in society and turning it into an important human capital advantage our adversaries cannot claim to have. We are thus hedging our uniqueness as a diverse American society to enhance our capacities. That can only come through treating our fellow Americans fairly and equal (i.e. justice).
A couple of important questions that utilize similar expectations of values and capacity but don't make one falsely contingent on another.
1.) What I want to ask our leaders is "Do you respect the different races and religions in our society as valuable?" (I would look for people who have a more universal expectation of ethics and respect for what religion does for people.)
2.) The second question I would like to ask, "What makes you qualified to do this important role in our society?" ( I would look for people with specific skills, abilities, and traits as they relate to these important roles. Checking blind boxes at the polls and pointing fingers at the other side really isn't a qualification for much but blind followership and toxicity.)
Now if they respond that they only respect their religion as valid or that they are qualified because they voted specifically party line then I would have concerns over their capacities. Their race and religion doesn't make them better than another and blind party affiliation makes them more a liability in a complex world where sophisticated decisions must be made.
A universal society will be based on the skills and merits of the person without regard to their religion, their race, or blind political affiliations. Our society needs the most qualified to take leadership roles and that includes promoting the best and brightest to grow and take their rightful places. We allow people to develop as they naturally should and move them up the responsibility ranks when they are ready.
We need to compete as a nation and that comes from enlightened views, democratic rule, and fair capitalism where people can rise based on their merit. We can't afford free passes for bad behaviors and we can't afford blind political adherence. We will overcome our challenges because all the other paths will lead to lots of pain and poor outcomes (Try convincing some of our leaders this and you will see confusion in their eyes.). While I'm disappointed in some of our decisions at various times and places in the past I have confidence they lead us to this point in history where we have an opportunity to learn from and master our current challenges. Modern nations need modern universal thinking. As an American/"American" I will continue to fulfill my oaths the best I can....even when others dont understand or find such values unfashionable.
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