The Arc of the Moral Universe

This election exemplified that the essence of morality and goodness is actually quite obvious. The right path is blatant and always has been. Human beings are not property. A person's skin color should never determine their rights, respect, or safety. Love, gender expression, and personal medical decisions should not be grounds for oppression or degradation. Socioeconomic status should not determine whether someone can access healthcare. Husbands and wives, children and parents, should not be torn apart due to immigration status. Women should not die because they experience pregnancy complications or miscarriages and need medically necessary abortions. Victims of rape and incest should not be forced to endure pregnancies resulting from violation. Billionaires should not receive tax breaks when hard-working Americans cannot afford housing. The safety of children should take precedence over unrestricted gun ownership. Gender should not be a basis for subjugation or inequality. A xenophobic felon should not be president.

Morality is pretty damn simple. It isn't about adhering to a complex set of arbitrary rules. It's not defined by where one spends their Sunday, whether they abstain from sex before marriage, what they eat or drink, the clothes they wear, or whom they marry. These are not monikers of morality. They are just choices. True morality and justice require us to behold the full humanity of others, viewing their lives with genuine empathy and love, rather than trying to convert, coerce, or impose our will and beliefs upon them. Being a just person is straightforward: uphold people's right to live with dignity, authenticity, and safety, regardless of their social identities or backgrounds. That’s it. 

Yet, tremendous forces throughout history have fought tooth and nail to impede justice and equality. Slaveholders in the American South claimed that owning people was morally justified, economically necessary, and biblically supported. During the Civil Rights Movement, many white moderates argued that racial integration and equal rights for Black people were dangerous and immoral. Religious conservatives fought against women's rights, including divorce, reproductive choice, voting, financial independence, career opportunities, and access to childcare, claiming these would disintegrate the family structure. Homophobic individuals have long insisted that LGBTQ+ people don't deserve equal rights to love, form families, or be accepted in society, often labeling them as "sinners." Some self-proclaimed religious groups continue to argue that LGBTQ+ people threaten society merely by existing, using this belief to justify discriminatory and oppressive behaviors. Throughout history, people have misused ideologies and belief systems to justify the dehumanization and degradation of their fellow human beings. 

Here’s the truth: the “liberal”, “gay”, “feminist”, “atheist” and “trans” agenda is simply a universal human desire: to live safely, pursue one's values, and have the means to care for oneself and loved ones. There's no grand conspiracy, no underground ring of "satanic liberals." There's no secret society. People just want to live normal, meaningful lives. And while we as humans derive meaning differently, we are not all that different from each other. When we get out of our way, this truth is evident. Within the eyes of others, we see our own humanity, desire, and joy reflected. Too often, however, humans falsely complicate goodness and decency, caving to our basest, most unsavory instincts - tribalism, dogmatism, intolerance, ignorance, authoritarianism, absolutism - convincing ourselves that what is obviously evil is good, and what is obviously good is evil.

Donald Trump is a sexual predator, felon, misogynist, racist, bankrupt, narcissistic, admirer of dictators, power-hungry, bigoted bully. He demonstrates moral depravity in word, deed, and policy. The true conspiracy, if any exists, is the refusal of Trump's supporters to acknowledge or hold him accountable for his reprehensible behavior. They seem to believe his words, actions, and policies should not be subject to moral scrutiny or judgment. A frightening dissonance emerges between their stated principles and actual choices. They profess to protect women and children from imagined threats posed by immigrants or transgender people, basing their panic on unfounded conspiracies. Yet, vote for a politician accused of sexual assault by 26 women and found liable for rape of a 13-year-old in a court of law. They claim to uphold Christian values of love and justice while endorsing a man who embodies all Christ stood against. They insist that supporting a hateful, morally bereft man holds no bearing on their morality, and then feel indignant when faced with rightful moral judgment by those they voted to oppress. 

As MLK famously declared, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Attorney General Eric Holder argued that the arc bends toward justice because people pull it that way. Justice and goodness will prevail, due to sustained effort and moral struggle from those who believe in equality and human rights. Morality is not a static postulation of what is right, but the dynamic embodiment of justice. It is not enough to passively wait for justice to arrive. It is not enough to believe someone else will right your wrongs - we must fight for what is right, opposing tyranny and those who uphold it. 

Ultimately, the true measure of our nation's moral character is the treatment of those in need of protection and comfort. Upholding justice is not merely a political, social, or moral imperative, it is a spiritual one. A means of honoring the humanity that unites and binds us, our intrinsic interconnectedness, and for those who believe, it is a direct reflection of god. In the words of Christ, “Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it to the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”.  With the re-election of Trump, our nation has once again cast aside the least of these - those who are marginalized, vulnerable, stigmatized, and oppressed. The duty of building a just and moral world lies in our hands. It is our sacred responsibility to each other. We can and will bend the arc toward justice, regardless of the forces that oppose us.