AMERICA AT 250: COMPETING CELEBRATIONS REFLECT NATIONAL POLARIZATION, SAYS SMU POLITICS EXPERT | Newswise
DALLAS (SMU) – As the nation marks its 250th anniversary with separate celebrations in Washington, D. C. , and Los Angeles, SMU political scientist Matthew Wilson says the split reflects a deeper reality about modern America: the absence of a shared national narrative. Wilson argues that what should have been a unifying moment of national pride has instead become a symbol of the country's growing political polarization, with rival groups promoting fundamentally different visions of Amer
Newswise — DALLAS(SMU)– As the nation marks its 250th anniversary with separate celebrations in Washington, D. C. , and Los Angeles, SMU political scientistMatthew Wilsonsays the split reflects a deeper reality about modern America: the absence of a shared national narrative. Wilson argues that what should have been a unifying moment of national pride has instead become a symbol of the country's growing political polarization, with rival groups promoting fundamentally different visions of American history, identity, and patriotism. Wilson says the competing celebrations reflect a broader struggle over who gets to define America's story and what patriotism means in the modern era. Wilson is available for media interviews on this topic and can be reached at (214) 768-4054 and[email protected]. What does it say about the state of American politics that the nation's 250th birthday is being celebrated through two separate, high-profile events with different leadership and visions instead of one unified national celebration?Wilson:“It reflects the deep polarization and lack of national unity in twenty-first-century America. We no longer have a single, unifying American story; instead, left and right have fundamentally different visions of American history and how the past connects to the nation today. The 250th anniversary should have been an opportunity for Americans of different races, religions, social classes, and political parties to come together and celebrate this country's remarkable ascent from a small backwater at the edge of the world to the wealthiest, most powerful, most culturally influential nation in human history. Unfortunately, that has proven impossible. ”Historically, have major national anniversaries ever reflected this level of institutional or political division, or is this a unique moment in American history?Wilson:“The level of division that we see now is unprecedented. Fifty years ago, at the time of the bicentennial, the nation came together across political lines with commemorative coins and banknotes, Revolutionary War re-enactments, public readings of the Declaration of Independence, and a profusion of American flags and patriotic sentiment. National pride was not a Democratic or Republican thing, but an American thing. In the twenty-first century, however, we have seen major partisan gaps in patriotism emerge. Republicans express pride in the nation basically no matter who is in charge, but Democratic patriotism is much more conditional, plunging under Republican administrations and recovering somewhat under Democratic presidencies. ”Can competing America 250 celebrations ultimately strengthen civic engagement by offering different perspectives, or do they risk deepening political polarization and diminishing the sense of a shared national identity?Wilson:“The odds that these competing America 250 celebrations will strengthen civic engagement are slim to none. They both appear to be highly partisan and ideologically charged, and neither seems to be making much effort to engage people across the partisan divide. The sad reality is that most Americans will not participate in or pay much attention to either one. ”Should a milestone like America's 250th anniversary be insulated from partisan politics, or is it inevitable that every administration and its allies will shape the celebration through their own priorities and values?Wilson:“Ideally, the celebration would be insulated from partisan politics, but that is virtually impossible in this day and age. A core problem is that both President Trump and his opponents insist on making America 250 about him; both seem to believe that to celebrate the nation is to celebrate Trump. This is, frankly, absurd — the American story is much bigger than any individual leader who happens to be holding office at a given moment in time. Does anyone think that the American bicentennial was principally a celebration of Gerald Ford? Pride in the nation, and a willingness to celebrate the remarkable achievements of its 250-year history, should not be contingent on one's preferred candidate having won the last election. At the same time, the President should realize that he is not the nation and should refrain from trying to make a national celebration about himself. ”Looking beyond this weekend, what lasting impact could these parallel celebrations have on how Americans remember the nation's semi-quincentennial, and on the country's ability to come together around future national milestones?Wilson:“I think future generations will look on this as a missed opportunity for much-needed national reconciliation. This could have been an opportunity for people on both sides to come together and find elements of commonality in their visions of America. What are the things that we can all be proud of, and what are the things that we all agree the nation needs to address to remain healthy and strong? Unfortunately, very few people these days seem interested in that sort of national commonality. ”Matthew Wilson,associate professor of political science at SMU. 214-768-4054,[email protected]Wilson can discuss:Religion and politicsPolitical psychologyVoting behavior of religious votersPublic opinion and politics###SMUis the nationally ranked teaching and research university in the dynamic city of Dallas, and a member of the prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU’s alumni, faculty and more than 12,000 students in eight degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, communities and the world.