This election season, let us examine our contradictions regarding freedom

In recent history, there have been 40 years of federal policy decisions that steered the nation’s wealth away from families and communities and toward a few extremely wealthy individuals and corporate coffers, based on the theory that it would “trickle down.”

Unrestrained profit motives and other complex economic dynamics impact education, health care, child care, housing, and many other aspects of daily life, limiting the freedom of many Americans to live a good life. It’s no wonder middle-class and low-income Americans feel trapped in working poverty.

Furthermore, the clear and present threat of climate change is seriously affecting the well-being of our youngest and endangering the lives of future generations. If the trend is not reversed, the future will be taken away from the most vulnerable. It seems to me that it’s not that different from abortion, except for the added burden of surviving on a planet that has become uninhabitable.

Americans are losing the sense of self-determination needed to protect our shared home and resist forces that would turn us into commodities, consumers, or economic burdens. It was this “freedom for” that defined the American spirit and inspired creativity, inspiration and hope for this great experiment. Without this freedom, the road ahead is bleak.

Freedom from…

Let us turn to freedom as liberation and consider what we need to be “liberated” from in order to achieve the more perfect unity that our ancestors envisioned. If we look at the shameful aspects of US history, it follows that there was also a justification back then. I’m sure I’m not the only one who wonders how Americans during slavery came to see it as a normal part of everyday life.

Even if the social context was completely different, it is human nature to confront this kind of ugliness by adopting narratives to justify and obscure it. The Catholic rationale was expressed in the Doctrine of Discovery, which formed the basis for later U.S. law and policy. It became embedded in the collective psyche as the young nation grew.

These narratives, which so often played on fear, have morphed into aspects of modern American thought, identity, and worldview.

Which of these psychological and cultural echoes of the past sound familiar to you as you reflect on the 2024 election: distrust of authority, entitlement to resources, use of violence, dehumanization of our neighbors, the need to be in control, an us versus them? “Mentality, denial and feeling of superiority?

We are seeing these tendencies now bubbling to the surface in our national discourse. They create painful divisions among us, trigger violent outbursts and create national scapegoats.

Civic engagement is also part of our heritage, as a legitimate part of demanding that the government be held accountable for shameful actions or decisions. Still, the outrageous narratives, intimidation and violence that characterize this election season are frightening. The conspiracy theories, which have been repeatedly debunked, continue to circulate. Furthermore, they blame and demonize innocent members of our communities and result in harassment of public officials, the press, and peaceful protesters.

According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), while anti-government conspiracy theorists target government power, their ideas are often rooted in “racist, anti-Semitic and sometimes nativist beliefs.” As SPLC reports:

Conspiracy theories have long been a staple of American political discourse, and extremists continue to spread these narratives to cast doubt on democratic processes.

Identity-based politics tend to lock Americans in angry boxes, ultimately leading to toxic culture wars. Some researchers believe that the motivations for accepting conspiracy theories “are often related to social identity.” On an individual basis, they fulfill the social need for belonging and promoting their own group.

When political disagreements are perceived as a personal threat, it becomes a spiritual illness. By freeing ourselves from rigid identities—by holding them loosely rather than clinging to them—we become a more charitable, humble, and authentic people.

Our civic body is richer and more complex than the simple, partisan framework of Democrats versus Republicans. Despite what the media seems to believe, new research shows that there is a longing for dignified, informed and respectful civil discourse among candidates who disagree.

So if you want to determine who is best suited to lead us into the future—“the lesser of two evils,” as Pope Francis put it—try to use standards such as goodwill, integrity, and sophistication when evaluating candidates to cultivate humility. While politics is important, perhaps our nation ultimately needs leaders who will empower us to create a better world and who will help us not be driven by fear as we grapple with the serious issues of this time.