Mom and Dad

I remember hearing Chris Matthews for MSNBC describe the Democrats and Republicans in the following manner.
"Democrats are the party of mom. Republicans are the party of Dad" He went on to say that the debates and elections were a family argument in action. He said the the party of mom was the party that always looks for a reason to not give up on people. The party of dad wants people to get a life. I think he got it right.

Brazil is a matriarchal society. The entire social structure of Brazil is based on the fact that women are more consistent and trustworthy than men. Men have urges they cannot control. Women have to hold the world together because men won't. Mary is more respected here than Jesus. The way this works out in practical life is often comical and, at times, disastrous.

A Matriarchal society is, on the surface, a forgiving, accepting society. It is a society that has no death penalty, short prison stays and a belief that men just cannot control their basic urges. Women must be the anchor in the matriarchal society. While Brazil has no death penalty and prison stays are almost never more than a few years, over 700 people were killed while being arrested last year in Rio de Janeiro. Men can't control their urges so both sides of the drug war are killing non-stop. What they can count on is that the moms will be there for them no matter what they do.

God made male and female for a reason. They balance each other in their view of reality. The great thing about the USA is that the Protestant roots of the USA produced a society of dad and mom. Protestants abandoned the idea that men cannot control their urges. They called men to responsibility and they punished the giving in to urges.

I love Brazil. I love the way Brazilians deal with life. Even so, I wish for the day that Brazilian dads would come to Jesus and assume masculine responsibilities.

I love the USA. I pray that the political structure will remain mom and dad. Right now it looks to me like mom is concluding she needs to take care of everyone since men's urges can't be controlled. A single parent USA would be tragic.