If it is true that tragedies come in threes, then the death of American democracy is surely inevitable. The trio is affecting this nation is evangelical, paternalistic and sentimental nihilism; a toxic combination of institutionalized practices and behaviors that perpetuate systemic racism and imperialism. The threads of nihilism were woven into the fabric of America since the values of the nation were conceived in the Constitution. The architects of this paramount document set a precedence for faulty democratic tradition as they struggled to consolidate the assertion that “all men are created equal” while simultaneously deeming slaves to be worth three-fifths of a person. Much like the slaveholding land capitalists, America’s contemporary
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Many Democrats deemed Sanders’ campaign a lost cause from its conception due to the wide renown of his rival, Hillary Clinton. Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic-socialist, ran a grassroots campaign founded on radical change. His progressive ideals included free college education and healthcare for citizens, as well as a clear plan to address police brutality. These forward-thinking proposals were the essence of a progressive democracy and, oftentimes, made Clinton appear rather conservative. Although he gained significant support among young voters, his campaign ultimately failed because of the Democratic party’s surrender to the satisfaction of centrist and conservative constituencies. He was labeled an unrealistic candidate (a label from which he could not recover) while Clinton was labeled as reasonable. Paternalistic nihilism trains Democrats to work under the guise of progressivism, but actually operate along a conservative agenda that keeps oppressive systems intact. For example, Bill Clinton is often credited for his advocacy for African-Americans. However, Clinton’s 1994 Crime Bill had a devastating impact on the African American community by increasing police presence and incarceration. Instead of engaging in the “radical fight for a truer democracy” by attacking the “corruptions of the system at their heart” (West, 2004, p. 35), paternalistic nihilism provides an ultimately neutral solution that temporarily appeases
Many Democrats deemed Sanders’ campaign a lost cause from its conception due to the wide renown of his rival, Hillary Clinton. Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic-socialist, ran a grassroots campaign founded on radical change. His progressive ideals included free college education and healthcare for citizens, as well as a clear plan to address police brutality. These forward-thinking proposals were the essence of a progressive democracy and, oftentimes, made Clinton appear rather conservative. Although he gained significant support among young voters, his campaign ultimately failed because of the Democratic party’s surrender to the satisfaction of centrist and conservative constituencies. He was labeled an unrealistic candidate (a label from which he could not recover) while Clinton was labeled as reasonable. Paternalistic nihilism trains Democrats to work under the guise of progressivism, but actually operate along a conservative agenda that keeps oppressive systems intact. For example, Bill Clinton is often credited for his advocacy for African-Americans. However, Clinton’s 1994 Crime Bill had a devastating impact on the African American community by increasing police presence and incarceration. Instead of engaging in the “radical fight for a truer democracy” by attacking the “corruptions of the system at their heart” (West, 2004, p. 35), paternalistic nihilism provides an ultimately neutral solution that temporarily appeases