To kneel or not to kneel

The protests of some NFL players involving the National Anthem and the Flag since 2016, suddenly hit the front pages on September 23, 2017,when President Trump said that anybody disrespecting the national flag and anthem should be fired. The debate has captivated and divided the media and nation likely because it reflects a tension that has been building up in the American psyche for decades. What is at stake are two opposing views of reality, between one that is essentially backward looking and another that is more forward looking. However, there is more to the story and the SAMVA USA chart is uniquely able to shine a light on and explain this complex national issue.

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTERS

On the one hand, we have those who want to correct for the mistreatment of certain groups in US history. According to surveys, these are predominantly people that identify as Democrats or non-whites. The protest is led by players in the NFL, which are young accomplished athletes, reflecting also the placement of 10th lord Mars and 6th lord Jupiter in Scorpio and the 5th house of the chart. Indeed, in US history young people have often led movements for social change. The protesters are in sympathy with the goals of groups like Black Lives Matter (BLM) by refusing to stand in pre-game ceremonies and honor the flag of "a country that oppresses black people."  Essentially, this group is emphasising the influences of the weak 4th lord Venus in Sagittarius and the 6th house of the SAMVA USA chart. Both of these houses receive afflicting aspects from the Moon's nodes, Ketu and Rahu in the national horoscope, which explains the recurring social problems in the country. 

TRUMP AND THE PATRIOTS

On the other hand, there are those who want to emphasise the strength and purpose of the country. Typically, these are predominantly voters who identify as Republicans and white, especially those with a deep sense of patriotism. President Trump is the leader of people with this mindset. He recalls the blood spilled by American soldiers to defend the flag and what it stands for. To these people it is a simple issue of it never being right to disrespect the flag. The President is represented by the powerful 2nd lord Sun in Capricorn and the most effective point of the 7th house of the chart. Indeed, a large section of the American people are tired of the problems and have an urge to transcend them. Their mindset is that of the strong and powerfully placed Sun in the chart. The reaction of President Trump placed the protests in another context altogether. His words created a psychic clash among those beholden to the old problem identifying ideas and rallied those in tune with his vision. Such a clash usually accompanies change in the national mind set..

Importantly, the timing of the debate owes to both the period influences and transits.

TRENDS EMERGING FROM MAJOR PERIODS

The Venus major period has ended and the Sun major period has begun. Clinton, Bush and Obama were Presidents during the Ketu and Venus periods. The Ketu period brought social problems of race and morality to the forefront, while the Venus period brought excesses of the rich and growing poverty and inequality to the fore. The Presidents of that time would likely have tolerated such protests of unequal treatment involving racial or ethnic background. Trump, however, has become President at the onset of the Sun major period, as predicted. He was elected because he was psychologically in tune with a collective need to transcend the problems with bold new policies (e.g. tax plan to be "rocket fuel for the economy") to create new well paying jobs that he sees as a means to cure the social problems. His vision is to shift the collective mindset to the Sun like facet of the collective nature, which is now operative in the chart due to the Sun period operating. Trump has little patience for voices protesting weakness or injustices by dishonoring the national symbols. He prefers to take the protesters head on with regard to the importance of respect for the national symbols. While the trend influences support his shift in emphasis, the transits are making it very difficult for him to do so.

CHALLENGING TRANSITS

Adding to the tension is the transit of 6th lord Jupiter into the sign Libra and 4th house on September 13, 2017. As predicted last year, this was expected to "bring the energy of conflict into the house communal harmony" during the transit of Jupiter in this sign. The transit of Ketu into Capricorn and the 7th house also suggests conflictual energy in the national life, involving both foreign policies but also the President, ruled by the Sun  Earlier this year, transit 8th lord Saturn entered Sagittarius and 6th house. This was expected to bring obstacles and endings into the house of conflict. During the summer, transit Saturn went retrograde into Scorpio and 5th house, where it has been afflicted by both natal Saturn but also transit Rahu. This has created serious problems in the country. Saturn will re-enter Sagittarius in late November of this year, increasing the scope for the type of hard-nosed obstructionist politics by the opposition that were witnessed in the Spring of this year. The transit of Saturn in late Scorpio from the late summer has also been especially troublesome for the Leo rising chart of President Trump.

NATIONAL IDENTITY AND SYMBOLS

In 2009 I wrote an article about how the Sun and Moon influence the identity and symbols of the country. The Moon, as the ruler of the sign Cancer in the 1st house, represents the caring side of Americans, while the Sun lends power through authority and leonine magnanimity to the self, due to the close aspect to the 1st house from its placement in the most effective point of the 7th house. Moreover, 10th lord Mars and 6th lord Jupiter in the 5th house also aspect 1st lord Moon in the 11th house, adding fame, courage, expansiveness and staunchness to the national identity. All these astrological energies are vividly reflected in the national symbols.

THE DEBATE

Here is a video clip of a part of yesterday's White House press briefing that brings out the dynamics of this national debate of whether to emphasise national unity through recognition of the nations Ketu and Venus-related problems or the power of the country, as represented by the Sun, in a back-and-forth exchange between a reporter and the WH spokesperson.

References:

Cartoon source:

http://theweek.com/articles/727583/7-brutally-hilarious-cartoons-about-president-trumps-nfl-obsession