America Is in Decline as It Pursues Perfection

I saw a t-shirt the other day that gave me a chuckle. It read: “I may be old, but I saw America before it went to sh**.” My amusement passed quickly. As I thought about the differences between the 20th and 21st centuries in America, the shirt suddenly wasn’t funny anymore.

In the 1930s we built the Golden Gate Bridge in just under 4 years. It was heralded as a “wonder of the world.” This year a span of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was destroyed by a cargo ship. Experts estimate that it will take 10 years to make repairs. That’s unavoidable because there are a great many impact studies to be done, permits to be approved, and DEI contractors to be hired. (READ MORE:  The Secret Service Isn’t What Hollywood Promised Us It Was)

In the 1940s, America led the coalition that defeated the combined armies of Germany, Japan, and Italy (over 18 million men). The war lasted 4 years, prevented global tyranny, and ended a mass genocide. In 2021 — after 20 years of war — the United States surrendered to 80,000 primitive savages, armed with nothing that couldn’t be carried in a pickup truck. Fortunately, our military now appreciates pronoun discipline and is well-represented at Pride festivities.

In the mid-20th century, the United States built the interstate highway system in only 35 years. In the 21st century, the system is marred with potholes and its bridges are crumbling. It seems making our roads less racist is a much higher priority than maintaining them.

In the last century, medical science defeated Polio, Smallpox, Measles, Mumps, and Chickenpox. In 2020 a viral outbreak triggered a blind panic in which we choked the global economy, cancelled inalienable rights, and stunted the development of a generation of children. We did it because a federal bureaucrat — with a history of failure when it came to viral outbreaks — thought it would be a good idea, and nobody questioned him. (READ MORE: Biden’s Awfully Bittersweet Deal For Hostages)

In the spring of 1961, Alan Sheppard flew NASA’s first mission into space with a 15-minute sub-orbital flight. Eight years later, NASA was flying manned missions to the Moon every few months. In the summer of 2024 — after 14 years of development — NASA’s most recent spacecraft (Starliner) can’t reliably take astronauts into low earth orbit and back. While private enterprise has made great strides, the fact remains, 55 years after landing on the Moon, we no longer have the means to return. Is it because our space administration is treating space travel as a distraction from Muslim outreach and climate change hysteria?

In the 20th century, Americans built “wonders of the world” and accomplished herculean feats. In the 21st century, human progress is grinding to a halt as we task our institutions with social justice, economic justice, climate justice —  every justice except criminal justice. We’re trying to create a world in which hate, envy, and inequality no longer exist. (READ MORE: Female Superheroes Not Needed at the Secret Service)

We have bloated our institutions — especially our government — with an expectation that they correct any imperfections that God left as part of humanity. But in our quest for human perfection, are we missing opportunities to be exceptional humans?

John Green is a retired engineer and political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He spent his career designing complex defense systems, developing high-performance organizations, and doing corporate strategic planning. He is a frequent contributor to American Thinker and a staff writer for the American Free News Network. He can be reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.

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