The basis of whiteness as a mark of distinction was at one time prevalent and such expressions as Aryans and Nordics were widely used. In fact, the term "Nordic" was resurrected by Donald Trump when he asserted that non-white, non-Nordic countries were "s*hole countries".
The fear of losing status and privileges to non-white citizens continues to be pervasive among a substantial portion of the population. The repetitive use of the "big lie", with "voter fraud" as an underlying theme, suggests that real voters are white Americans while non-white voters are not real Americans. The Republican Party now represents this white American Party, while Democrats are branded as "far left" because they are more inclusive of the concerns of blacks, whites, Asians, Native Americans, Mexican-Americans, etc.
Even as "voter fraud" is shown to be demonstrably false the repetition of the phrases "fake news" and "Make Americans Great Again" have become political ploys that will eventually lose their virulence. Such expedient phrases have a 300-year history and allow us to see the history of our political world with some comprehension. But we can realize that creating divisiveness based upon race is no longer sustainable since global communication and rapid transportation has begun breaking us out of three centuries of pathological manipulation of racial differences. The 21st century encompasses us in a global world where the usual emotional politics based on invented prejudices are no longer viable. Although we may experience reversions to older forms of politics, as in the angry noxious Republican administration no longer holds sway, we need to enter the real world of a multi-cultural and multi-colored world.
The legacy of a racist past and the demagogues who take advantage of past antagonisms with the support of QAnon, the proud boys and boogaloo bois, will end up becoming merely irritants whose role is no longer magnified by the media, despite clinging to resentment, victimhood and a multitude of grievances.
Hugh J. Curran is on the faculty of the Peace & Reconciliation Studies Program at the University of Maine
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