Kerby Anderson

The other day, I saw a TV commercial for the March of Dimes which reminded me that I should do a commentary on what has been called the “March of Dimes Syndrome.” In my government classes, we often talked about it as a textbook example of goal succession. The March of Dimes was created in the 1930s to combat polio. By the 1950s, we had the polio vaccine. But instead of going out of business, the March of Dimes transitioned to other causes.

John Tierney wrote about how “The March of Dimes Syndrome” manifests itself in many social causes today. He argues that “the better things get, the more desperately activists struggle to stay in business.” We have seen this recently during pride month. If you didn’t know any better, you would think homosexuals are facing massive discrimination. After all, the Human Rights Campaign declared a “national state of emergency” last year for LGBTQ people.

Anti-sodomy laws were erased decades ago. Same-sex marriage was legalized by the Supreme Court and is supported by a majority of Americans. Gay characters can be found on TV, movies, and in commercials. And don’t you dare decline to bake a cake for a gay couple.

Another example he mentions is civil rights. There has been significant success since Martin Luther King, Jr. and others marched for equal rights and against segregation. The Southern Poverty Law Center used to sue members of the Ku Klux Klan. But then, there weren’t many to sue, so it began labelled all sorts of Christian organizations as hate groups.

There are many other examples. You can tell when a group is getting close to reaching its goal. That is when it increases its apocalyptic language and tells you the sky is falling. That’s why you need some discernment during these polarizing times.