Survival of the Fittest

For the last several days, I've been engrossed in American history. I've been reading simultaneously William Miller's A New History of the United States, and Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States. In the first, I have only one chapter remaining, covering the period after World War II up to 1968, when the book was published. In the second, World War II is about to begin, but there is much more yet to read in that book.

I strongly recommend A People's History of the United States, especially if you're already roughly acquainted with the finer details of our history, or are willing to review, as I have, with an alternate text. Because Zinn's book doesn't focus on all the details you might expect, preferring instead to focus on the minor players, your ancestors and mine. If you'd like to read up on Howard Zinn, here's a link to his biography in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn

The Wikipedia entries are extensive enough to provide a balanced view of Zinn. The consensus is that his views are "radical". One of the most interesting critiques was written by Georgetown University history professor Michael Kazin, in a 2004 article for Dissent magazine. Kazin argued that the book focuses too much on class conflict, and falsely attributes sinister motives to the political elite. There may be some truth to Kazin's critique. That's one reason I've balanced out my reading. But I don't think you need to draw the same conclusions as Zinn to appreciate the book. Zinn is widely recognized as a great scholar, and the events presented in the book, and the quotations used, are demonstrably true. To this point in my reading, any conclusions Zinn may be drawing are inferred, not stated. As I read, I'm reminded of John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath more than anything. These are true stories, culled from our history. They have a meaning to me, and another to you.

So, if I recommend this radical's book, and Michael Moore's new film, and question the sentence commutation of Scooter Libby, then I must be radical, right? Well, if the shoe fits, I suppose I'll wear it, but my heart won't be in the role. I still have plenty of faith in capitalism, I think the individual is as important as the community, I love my country, and I love Jesus. Do I fit in now?

I'm not always so big on the details about changes I'd like to see. Because I believe it's all part of trying to live in a more enlightened state, trying to take seriously the task of loving my neighbor as myself. I've always believed if we could get better at that one thing, the details would fall into place. I haven't drawn up plans for the perfect society. We'll know it when we get there.

I do believe that books such as Zinn's are extremely relevant right now. I know that the full story of history, even such a brief one as ours, can never be told. Those who controlled money and property participated in our lurching march toward civilization, and often had good motives as well as bad. But for those less fortunate, the world has all too often looked exactly as Zinn describes. And I know that much of their suffering might have been eased, had those in power really lived the life revealed to them by their Savior.

If I see our current maladies as an extension to Zinn's America, I think there's some justification.I see great wrongs being committed, and the will of the majority dismissed. The voices on the news alternately soothe and frighten, as occasion befits, but just as a game. The truth is somewhere between the soporific mass media and the radical journalist. But the story has been told again and again, through history. And most of the time, it's been about survival of the fittest.

We don't have equal justice, that's obvious. We don't have equal rights, and what meager rights we have we've gained by force. But my Jesus, and my Zen masters, aren't about force. I believe that in almost every instance, force is self-defeating. I believe we are going to redefine what we mean by survival of the fittest, in terms of America, and the human race.

As we've seen this week-end, our planet is warming. Some of you may believe that's not a certainty, but with over 90% of researchers in agreement, I'd say we have a consensus. Pollution has always been a bad thing. We've all said all along we should be cleaning up the environment. Now, with every reason to believe that cleaning up Mother Earth isn't just a good thing, it's the only thing, we can stop putting off that cleanup we've been meaning to do. If it turns out to be a false alarm (don't bet on it), so much the better.

In the face of climate challenge, we will redefine survival. For humans, it's always been so much more than mere survival of the fittest. We have fine, noble dreams, and they aren't radical, they aren't Socialist. They're just Over The Rainbow dreams.

We need to end the nightmares, and begin to dream.