“You’re living in sin,” proclaims Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner), a devout Roman Catholic mother, to her lesbian daughter, Shannon (Emily Deschanel).
“Says who?” Shannon barks.
“The Pope,” counters Eileen.
Shannon demands of her mother, “What do you think?”
Eileen’s confident retort: “I don’t have to think. I’m Catholic!”
Though this segment from the movie, The Perfect Family, directed by Anne Renton, certainly does not represent all Catholics since many do not approve of the Church’s stance against contraception, hostility to the ordination of women, opposition to marriage equality, and issues against women’s reproductive rights, still, this brief dialogue makes a strong point:
That some people relinquish their autonomy and critical thinking facilities and pledge obedience and allegiance to a powerful leader or social institution. In other words, they surrender their freedom for the promise of social and personal security, which usually includes the suppression of those outside the circle, the “others.”
In Eileen Cleary’s case, the “others” included homosexuals, people who divorced, people who had children “out of wedlock.” She attempted to shelter her senses and cover-up her husband’s alcoholism since that never fit into her imagined perfect life.
In her efforts to promoteThe Perfect Family, she longed for the (myth) of the bygone days where her lovely children played in her beautifully landscaped yard within her lily-white neighborhood surrounded by rainbows above and unicorns strolling down the freshly cleansed sidewalks.
All and everything was in its place, and it was good.
During the late 1940s, researchers, led by Theodor W. Adorno, studied the historical conditions that paved the way for the rise of fascist regimes in the 1930s, World War II, and the Holocaust. They theorized about individuals who would support the growth of fascism. They suggested that people of a certain personality type, which they labeled the “authoritarian personality,” were most ripe for extremism, in this case, those most susceptible to anti-Jewish prejudice and anti-democratic political beliefs.
They suspended their autonomy and freedom for the promise of going back to a future reminiscent of a (mythic) idealistic past of economic, political, social, cultural, and personal security, where their “in-group” won and led, and those “outgroups” served obediently and acquiesced to “ingroup” needs and demands.
Now enter the mighty strongman, Donald Trump.
After painting a gruesome image of a post-apocalyptic U.S.-America, replete with vicious marauding gangs, gun shots whizzing throughout the inner cities, decrepit crumbling structures and highways, rampant poverty, declining health care systems, imminent terrorist attacks, ruthless criminal-drug-dealing-rapist invaders from our southern border, after inciting violence at his rallies, and fear, stereotyping and scapegoating all Muslims and so-called “illegal aliens,” after promising to punish women who have had and their doctors who have performed abortions, after asserting that he will reestablish the Supreme Court to an untra-conservative majority, and after promising to reverse both Roe v. Wade and marriage equality, and most importantly, after promising to “Make America Great Again,” Heir das Donald non-so-solemnly proclaimed during his acceptance wandering diatribe at the Republican National Convention:
“I am your voice! I alone can fix it. I will restore law and order.”
Trump never asked anything of his supporters other than their loyalty by placing their total faith in him. And the authoritarian personalities followed brown-shirted in lock-step.
Trump promotes his followers to wax nostalgic to the television shows from many of their youth: “Father Knows Best,” “The Donna Reed Show,” “Ozzy and Harriet,” and “Leave it to Beaver,” all reflecting the mainstream popular image of the U.S.-American family as white, middle class, with a nice home in the suburbs, and with all family members accepting their assigned raced and gendered scripts.
Democracy, though, demands an educated electorate. Democracy demands responsibility on the part of the electorate to critically examine their politicians so they can make truly informed decisions. Democracy demands of us all never to relinquish our freedom and authority for some promise of a comfortable security by returning to a fairytale past.
When we relinquish our freedom for security, this gives rise to: “I don’t have to think. I’m a Trump supporter.”
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Photo Credit: Getty Images
Gee. How did I know this was going to end this way? As far as guns and thugs and drug addicts marauding. We’re already there. As far as democracy needing educated voters were long past that. Just who do you think the DNC is courting, yet you claim its only the R C who’s doing it. Certainly nobody is courting us double master degrees, or the social phds. They’ve already given up their vote to a Supreme political being. . From another post, but I believe gives you an example. Can someone explain to me why Clinton bleached and acid… Read more »
…Are you an MRA or something?
Is someone forcing you to abide by the teachings of Catholicism, Warren?
““You’re living in sin,” proclaims Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner), a devout Roman Catholic mother, to her lesbian daughter, Shannon (Emily Deschanel). “Says who?” Shannon barks. “The Pope,” counters Eileen. Shannon demands of her mother, “What do you think?” I can’t tell you how off base this dialogue is. The Pope said no such thing and a devoted Catholic wouldn’t say what is claimed as being said because she wouldn’t reference the “Pope” but instead church teachings. And as usual, I will throw the “What say you about the Muslims” into the equation. I know of NO Christian country that kills… Read more »
“…certainly does not represent all Catholics since many do not approve of the Church’s stance against contraception, hostility to the ordination of women, opposition to marriage equality, and issues against women’s reproductive rights, still, this brief dialogue makes a strong point:” Lisa Hickey- you asked me for examples of hateful speech. Here is a perfect example of it. Dr. Blumenfeld sneers at Catholics who agree with the Church’s teachings by denigrating their intellect and ability to come to their own conclusions. I find his comments untrue, offensive and utterly steeped in ignorance. Furthermore, I find Dr. Blumenfeld’s inability see the… Read more »
SEEE, I’m hoping Lisa will read your response and objectively comment on it..
Not expecting it but it would be interesting. I only decided to comment after Pope Francis called my local priest to pull my puppet strings…. can’t think for myself right?
To SEEEdubya, though it is unfortunate that you find my article to represent hate speech, it was something I felt I needed to write, and I stand behind every word. While any individual and religious denomination has the constitutional right to profess anything they wish, with that right also comes the responsibility to at least expect challenges to what one professes, as you challenged me. But when any person or any religious denomination attempts to define me and members of my community, I must speak up. I will give you just one of many examples of what I must challenge… Read more »
The fact is not that you disagree with beliefs but rather that you directly insinuate that devout Catholics do not think aka are drones reliant on the Pope. This is exactly the reasoning people used to smear Kennedy during his presidential run.
I read this article on Tuesday, All Saints Day … Holy day of obligation. Interesting that the Gospel was Matthew 5:1-12. I immediately thought of this article …
Let me pull out the DSM .. if this is your idea of a hate speech then the DSM is LOADED with them. Now, if you want to take this a step further, let’s look … We also (sent) Lut: he said to his people: “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation (ever) committed before you? “For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” – Holy Quran 7:80-81 “Of all the creatures in the world will ye approach males”. “And leave those whom Allah has created… Read more »