In a previous post, I set up The Voltron Rule for Nostalgia, which states:

Healthy nostalgia leaves space for new stories to be told;
unhealthy nostalgia ignores or drowns out new stories in favor of the old.

I’ve explored nostalgia in pop culture and cocktails, but what happens when we apply the Voltron Rule to American politics and national identity? Unfortunately, the violent alt-right demonstration in Charlottesville last weekend and the ongoing tension surrounding Confederate statues have given us a tragic case study.

In 2016, Donald Trump ran for president with the slogan “Make America Great Again.” To many voters, this phrase conjured up images of a robust Cold War era economy, stable working-class families, and a religious landscape dominated by Christianity. On days where I’m feeling charitable, I like to think this is why so many white Evangelicals voted for Donald Trump, but we all know the truth is more complicated.
Some wanted to ensure a conservative-leaning Supreme Court.
Others just really hated Hillary Clinton.
And still others only heard one word when Trump spoke: “JOBS.”

Then there are the white nationalists who heard Trump’s violent rhetoric on the campaign trail and saw him as a kindred spirit. For them, “Make America Great Again” is code for keeping white men in power, suppressing religions other than Evangelicalism, and closing the borders to anyone they deem unworthy.
I don’t believe every Trump supporter falls into this camp.
I don’t believe every white person falls into this camp.
But I do believe that, by tuning out people whose experiences of America look different than ours, we create a culture where hatred can fester. I’m a white, educated, straight, cis-gender, protestant man; over all, America’s been really good to me, but I’m learning more and more how my experience growing up here and the opportunities I’ve been granted are not universal.

In the past, Americans of color have endured slavery, lynchings, segregation, and all manner of injustice. Even today, predominantly-black neighborhoods are policed differently, and people of color face continued discrimination in the education and criminal justice systems.

In the past, American women have had to battle for their rights to vote, own property, and receive fair wages. Even today, a “glass ceiling” blocks women from leadership positions in our workforce, and women are significantly underrepresented in our legislature as well.

In the past, LGBT Americans have been denied their rights to live and to love. Even today, nationwide marriage equality is just two years old, and only 21 states extend anti-discrimination protections to transgender Americans. Legislation like the infamous North Carolina bathroom bill stands as a direct challenge to trans people: Good luck living here now.

Native Americans have had a different experience.
First generation immigrants to America have had a different experience.
Americans of faiths other than Christianity have had a different experience.
Homeless Americans have had a different experience.
There are all kinds of Americans for whom “Make America Great Again” doesn’t evoke nostalgia. More likely, it causes reticence or frustration or even fear.

So, that being said, let’s consider the MAGA slogan in light of The Voltron Rule. After all, by this rubric, nostalgia doesn’t have to be universal to be healthy; it just needs to leave room for new stories to be told. Does the nostalgia of “Make America Great Again” do this?

Addendum:
Originally, this post ended with the question above, but after the events that transpired in Charlottesville last weekend and the continued unrest across the country, I feel compelled to answer the question.
No. MAGA is not a healthy nostalgia. It is quite toxic.
Healthy nostalgia allows for other stories to be told, but the MAGA mindset involves tuning out Americans who have experienced discrimination due to race, gender, sexual orientation, or other factors beyond their control. America’s past wasn’t great for everyone, and if we let our nostalgia drown out those stories, we miss a chance to make our society better for others. Maybe it’s time we drop the “again” part of MAGA and start listening to our neighbors. Maybe then America can be great for everyone who lives here.

I still have at least one more post on nostalgia, but it may require a few more weeks of fine-tuning. Next time: nostalgia and religion.