Election Day 2008; A New Restoration?

Today is election day. I'll let the pundits and everyone else tell you why they think it is such an historic day in American History. For me, it is very telling about the direction of our country. Will we continue forward on this downward moral spiral? Or will we be uplifted and return to our core values that originally shaped American society?

Last night I had an opportunity to reflect upon both candidates. The blatant dishonesty, deceptive politics, lack of integrity, and obvious avoidance of all things relevant in the Obama campaign reminded me of a paper I once wrote while a Freshman in college. It reminded me how we as a country are spiraling down hill and out of control. It reminded me that the American electorate is so blinded by race and being part of something that may be percieved as cool, regardless of how rediculous Obama's entire campaign is. They've forgotten how important respect, honor, integrity, truth, and decency is and instead have foregone all those core principles to vote for a man who holds none of them, simply because it is the in thing to do.

Below is that very paper. I will say ahead of time that its contents may be a bit disjointed, and even controversial to some, but I will preface it by saying that while I truly believe in the core concept of the paper, there are some statements I had written at the time that may not necessarily still hold true today, or that I necessarily believe in---after all, I am 10 years older...and wiser, the world has changed drammatically, and, well, I was trying to be combative with my professor. ---ALWAYS the rebel!!! I also realize that these views are likely attributable to a Midwestern-style upbringing and may be completely irrelevant to everyone else.

Enjoy!

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The tale of how as a boy, George Washington confessed that he cut down the cherry tree, is the prototypal lesson in truth, honor, and the "American Way." Annexed with truth, there is plenty to be said in referenceto the good manners and social decorum that were so prevalent in the earlier America; common values made the world a friendlier and more appreciated atmosphere for all of us. If the father of this grand country would not lie even to avoid punishment, one would expect that his progency would be influenced by his example. But, that is not the case. In fact, the negative deviance in today's society has transformed our culture into that of self-absorbed, ill-mannered, and scheming individuals.

When paying for gasoline at a convenience store, I generally receive an effortless "Thank you, have a nice day!" But is the clerk genuinely bestowing upon me his warmest wishes and interest in my life, or is this what he is required to say to maintain a false sense of a friendly and appreciative environment? I linger and listen to two more customers...same exact non-enthusiastic response to them after their transaction!

Individuals seem to be afraid to contribute to a legitimate, meaningful conversation on a personal level nowadays. In the past, everybody knew everyone else's business, not necessarily because they were prying, but because people actually had meaningful dialogue in their conversations and everyday interactions.

There's nothing wrong with taking a little extra time out of one's day to genuinely be interested in one another, nothing wrong with some simple courtesy towards others -- yet it has been lost. The automatic "have a nice day," apparently represents the present day view of courtesy. Rather than the modern command of wishing someone a nice day, the common courtesies and genuine appreciation of the past actually made it a nice day. Like when the hardware store owner gave you a treat to take home to your dog, or when a general store owner told you to take a lollypop home for the children---that made it a nice day!

Americans used to be be concerned with wealth, display of oneself and family, status, and particularly everyday manners. There was a correct way of doing everything. From eating, dressing, talking, dancing, and courting, to respectfully talking with someone. The correct way was very likely to be complicated, unnatural, and inconvenient (Schlesinger 186). However, it helped create a quality society in America where common values were the cornerstone of good behavior and the essence of our nation. Americans, I believe, have lost all concern for these values. It is, without question, in part due to the loss of the necessary maternal role model involved in the crucial upbringing stage of adolescence. Social necessities that are taught early in life are less strenuous that those attained in later stages.

It is apparent to me that the concerns and practices of early Americans have all but vanished. The actual practice of being courteous and being well-mannered has somehow escaped our culture, and the feminist movement, or "liberation" of women has played an essential role in this tremendous and regretful shift of cultural norms. It seems quite necessary to restore and maintain a feminine-led household in order to restore the early American traditions which allowed society to live in harmony.

Women are the civilizing influences in this society. By nature, they are more virtuous and, therefore, are better equipped and able to maintain a moral and well-mannered family. We must reinstate the woman's influence back into the household environment for leadership, reasoning, and a sense of what's right and wrong. A reinvigorated emphasis on family values within every home will eventually get us back on track and pay dividends to our declining society as a whole, and perhaps even lead to the abolishment of our expanding progressive culture of immorality.

In the 1800's, the true Victorian woman required: purity piousness, submissiveness, and domesticality. Respectability for a woman meant she would stay at home, be a mother, establish a herself as a role model for manners and courtesy, get involved in church work, women's clubs, or a reform movement like temperence (Thornstein 192). Women were expected to carry the burden of translating income into comfort, decorum, and elegance in the home. Women always presented themselves to the world as models of purity and innocence, as they were precious to the success of the family. Their appearance, properness, and homes brought about respect to the family name. In truth, women defined the family.

Contemporary women, on the other hand, do not tend to respect themselves, their homes, appearance, or the opinions of society as their predecessors did, and therefore decline the respect of the family name. Modern women have denounced their character of manners, etiquette, and respectability to ensure the world that they are their own "individual," and will not be characterized as suppressed under a man. They now feel their place in the family should not necessarily be confined to the home and its maintenance. They now feel as though they need something different, something that is uniquely theirs away from the home. Suppression of women should not be the man's objective, nor should women believe that is the male's intent. Respect of them and what they offer within the family circle should be pointed out as unique to them and glorified.

Subconsiously, the American male has rebelled against the modern woman. in the 1800's, men were sincere and willing to treat a woman as a gemstone. He would court her, offer her the inside of the sidewalk to protect her from runaway carriages, hold the door for her, offer her his seat, stand up when she entered as well and departed, and doffed his cap when speaking to her. He was not crude in her presence, and she refrained from vulgarities as well. This was out of mutual respect. Man wore coat and tie, and women wore hats and gloves. These customs were bestowed upon a man out of respect of oneself and his beautiful wife. How he presented himself only added to her beauty and their respectability.

However, since the advancement of the feminist movement, these customs and common courtesies have all but vanished. This is due in part to a man feeling respect and faith in him has been lost by the female as she now wishes to be referred to as his "equal," rather than his partner in the grander scheme of things. What is not equal about her running the home while he earns money to do so? Her investment within the home and with the proper rearing of their children is certainly equal to--if not more--than the income he brings home. The only difference is that he leaves home to go to work.

In response to the newly acquired ideals of the liberal woman, men have lost a great amount of respect for their wants and expectations. The view of the modern man is that if she is my equal, she can open her own door as I would, she can carry that heavy box as I would, and she can stand on the bus while I relax on this nice comfortable seat and read the paper. Liberation is an absolute, right? It is equality amongst individuals. And, in a stubborn man's mind, equality is all or nothing. But women don't want to give up the benefits of being a woman. they want their cake and eat it too. They want to be treated equal to a man, but yet, they don't want to lose their feminity nor the man's willingness to treat them in a special way that suggests they indeed are not equal.

As President George Bush once said, we need to return to "kinder, gentler days." Men need to offer our arms to women, and offer genuine help. Not to gain something from them, but out of respect for them. Women are precious, and the good ones are few. We--both men and children--desparately need them and their intuity to influence our respectability. We need them to influence the upbringing of future generations, so that we may return to a more respectable society. A woman's influence directs societies ideals of being proper, and this same idealism needs to be instilled in our youth.

One must conclude that the liberation of women has indeed affected society's moral standards and our children's upbringing. Women can be equal in the home. Home is where they are most needed and the outcome of this world truly depends on them. Their contributions to the home, family, and society as a whole are unequalled in the working world and they should be proud that their influence in the home has such a tremendous affect on society and how it works together.

If women reestablish faith faith in the male and teach them, in addition to our children, how to once again be courteous and well-mannered, nothing but a positive outcome for society can be expected.