[ LONG ] Make America Great Again, just like it was in 1957.

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WARNING: Do not continue reading if you are triggered by the topics of Fascism, Racism, Sexism, and/or Alt-Right Politics and political figures. Graphic language may be used  You have been warned.

Great America, 1957

Those who claim to want to "Make America Great Again" actually want to return to a time when any white male could speak his mind without concern for being labelled "politically incorrect", "sexist", or even "racist"; when any white woman who married right did not have to work outside the home to support her family; when any white person could discriminate against any non-white person and not risk being brought to trial for violating anyone's civil rights; when whites and non-whites were segregated by laws in their use of bathrooms, restaurants, schools, buses, parks, and even drinking fountains; when any infraction of racial segregation laws would be met with arrest and violence; when lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals, and 'queers' stayed closeted; when non-white people "knew their place" and were deferential to white people; when abuse, bullying, and intimidation were acceptable measures of 'manliness'; and when any white man could get married (to a white woman, of course), get a job, own a home, raise a family, and send his kids to a school where he knew that they would be taught that White American Males lead the world in every way.

THAT is the America that Donald Trump's "Make America Great, Again" (e.g., "MAGA") crowd wants to return to -- an America wherein "A woman's place is in the home", "Children are seen and not heard", and "Coloreds Need Not Apply".

1957 was the peak year of the modern-day "White Man's World". Coincidentally, it was also the year of the most births of the "Baby Boom" generation. American culture of 1957 is considered 'ideal' by those who want to "Make America Great Again", mainly because:

• The middle-class white man of 1957 enjoyed the privilege of gainful employment ahead of non-whites and women. He enjoyed the privilege of a decent education, also ahead of non-whites and women. He enjoyed the privilege of home-ownership in a neighborhood full of other white families, where non-white people were usually present only for their "day jobs" - manual labor or domestic help. A middle-class white man of 1957 enjoyed the privilege of not being asked for his ID, whether in a gun store or liquor store by the store-owner, or on the street by a cop. He enjoyed the privilege of expecting to speak to another white male when he asked to speak to "the person in charge".

• The middle-class white woman of 1957 could expect her husband to bring home a paycheck that was large enough to pay the mortgage, buy healthy food and warm clothing, and provide basic medical care for her and the kids. The middle-class white woman of 1957 could also expect to not have to earn a paycheck; at least, not until the kids were old enough to be in school all day; in which case, her employment was likely to be part-time. In other words, a middle-class white woman of 1957 could expect to stay at home, care for the kids, cook the meals, do the laundry, and keep the house clean (unless she hired a maid).

• The ideal man was the provider, protector, and absolute ruler of his home and family.

• The ideal woman deferred to her husband, cooked and cared for her family, and kept herself busy by joining the local PTA and other community organizations. She entertained guests in her home and worked out to keep a size 12 figure.

• The ideal child obeyed authority, controlled his or her emotional outbursts, conformed to his parents' wishes, didn't make waves, and didn't even THINK about sex until after marriage.

• Any white child could (theoretically) expect to be born into a financially stable family that would practically guarantee all of its health, happiness, safety, education, security, comfort, and future opportunities for its lifetime.

• Any white child in elementary school could expect to receive an education that depicted other white people accomplishing great feats in art, science, industry, business, and armed conflict. Such a child would be surrounded by other white classmates whose ancestors came from continental Northern Europe, Ireland, and Great Britain.

• Any 16-year old white male could drop out of school and still get a well-paying retail job. Any 17-year old white male could drop out of school and still get a well-paying manufacturing job and join a labor union. Any 18-year old white male still in school could graduate and (theoretically) go on to college. Any 22-year old white male with a college degree could expect to obtain a well-paying office job. Any white male could expect to be married, have 2 to 4 children, and paying the mortgage on his own suburban home by the age of 25.

• Any white female could expect to graduate high school without having to endure the rigors of advanced maths or any of the vocational shop classes. Foreign languages were the toughest courses that any female was expected to take in high school. College courses for women focused on languages and the liberal arts; women were discouraged from taking science, technology, engineering, and maths courses in college because those course were deemed too "unfeminine" for women.

• Even though "The Pill" was introduced in 1957, any white woman could expect to marry the father of her child before that child was born. Before 1957, her only reproductive choices were "Give birth" and "Don't get pregnant". Any woman who became pregnant "out of wedlock" was expected to marry the child's father; and if he was unavailable (i.e., already married, missing, in prison, et cetera), and she had enough money, she was expected to "go away", give birth, put the child up for adoption, forget about the child, and then return home as if nothing had happened. However, if her new 'shotgun' husband was old enough, he could join the Army and send his pay home to her and the kids. Otherwise, she could expect to give birth to 2 to 4 children by the age of 25.

• Any black man could expect to be hired last and fired first (if he was hired at all). He could expect to work without union protection, and at the most minimum wage possible. If he got hurt on the job, he either kept working (if he could) or he lost his job.

• Any black woman could expect employment as "domestic help" for white people. Cooking, cleaning, and providing day care for white children were the best she could hope for.

• Any husband/father could abuse his wife and children in the privacy of his own home, and not risk being arrested for his actions. This abuse could include humiliation, insult, threat, and physical violence. Spanking a child in public was normal, and not considered detrimental to the child's health or spirit.

So . . . why wouldn't a Patriarchal Fascist (a.k.a., White Supremacist, Neo-Nazi, Alt-Right, KKKlansman, et cetera), want to "Make America Great Again" -- like it was in 1957 -- when doing so would put the Patriarchal Fascists back in power, and put everyone else under their jack-booted heels?

-Fnord, the Metasyntactic Variable-

"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." -- attributed to many

The above quote goes deep into the psyche of those who want American to revert to the way it was in the 1950s -- a time when white male privilege held dominance over the rights of women and non-whites.

Those times are not coming back, no matter what some politicians and right-wing recidivists may claim, and they should just get used to the fact that their particular demographic (whatever it may be) is not now and will never be in power, and that all people deserve equal treatment under the law.

In the 1950s, America had picked up the globe by the heels and shaken the change from its pockets.  Europe had become a poor cousin -- silver spoons and paper plates.  And the indistinguishable countries of Africa, Asia, and South America had just begun skittering across our schoolroom walls like salamanders in the sun.  June Cleaver was America's mother, Andy Griffith was its sheriff, Norman Rockwell was its artist, and Billy Graham and Norman Vincent Peale were its ministers.

But the 1950s are over, and they're not coming back.

Deal with it.

Last edited by Fnord on 23 Sep 2020, 10:07 am, edited 1 time in total.

Thanks for reminding me and encouraging me to vote for Trump. While I don't agree with everything on your list, the morality, submission to God's will, respect of God-given gender roles, and freedom to live our lives and express our opinions is part of what made America great. Voting for Trump will help keep America great.

Last edited by emotrtkey on 23 Sep 2020, 10:09 am, edited 1 time in total.

A vote for Trump is a vote for racism, sexism, and reversion to a white male dominated society.

Fnord, that was really awesome! I liked what you said here.

A vote for Biden is a vote for racism (black privilege and Affirmative Action), sexism (denying men's rights), and a society dominated by people chosen based on their gender or skin color.

A vote for Trump is a vote for racial equality (everyone is treated equally regardless of race), God-given gender roles, and a color blind society where people are chosen based on merit instead of skin color.

Last edited by emotrtkey on 23 Sep 2020, 10:18 am, edited 2 times in total.

Thank you.  I worked all weekend on that one -- checking facts, et cetera.

Don't spit in my face and call it rain.

Which god exactly?

The one and only God who created you.

What are our choices?

Does this god have a name?

Is it Allah? I know a lot of people think he's a pretty powerful god...

Don't spit on America and call yourself an American.

Are you aware that most of what you wrote about America in 1957 was also true about America during almost the entire history of America from when the nation was founded up until 50 years ago when people started rejecting God?

Patriotic Americans want America to go back to the way things always were before radical liberals replaced God with their radical ideology. That's why patriots wave the American flag proudly while terrorists spit on it and set it on fire to show their hatred of America.

I think it's "Simon Legree".

For whatever reason, 1957 was worse that any other year.

2019 was worse than 2020.