We All Love America

I was discussing the phenomenon of political "trash talk" with some friends recently and one of them said, "I think we all love America and want what is best for our country -- we just all have strong opinions about what that is." I think she is mostly right -- except I would add some nuance to her statement.

We each love our individual perception of an idealized America, but the reasons we disagree are that our perceptions of what America represents, and our goals for what America should become, differ -- sometimes dramatically.

For example, if someone were to ask me the best things about the United States, I'm pretty sure my list would disagree completely with someone like Phyllis Schlafly or Michele Bachmann. The same would be true if the question were, "What is the ultimate promise of our nation?"

I think what makes America unique and exceptional is her Constitutional guarantee of equality; of equal protection under the law, of due process. As a result, more different kinds of people have more opportunity to live well and happily here than anywhere else in the world. (Although in some respects, other Western nations have "caught up" and even surpassed us in recent years.)

I love the fact that our Constitution itself, as well as our application of it, can evolve as mores and societal norms evolve. I love the fact that, as this evolution has occurred over time, the result has been to extend the "blessings of liberty" to more and more of our people.

I love that the affluence of our nation has enabled us to transcend some of the daily scramble for the basic necessities of life, which I believe accelerates the pace of acceptance. (Competition for the basics tends to polarize people and separate them into groups.)

(Now I'm going off on a tangent. Ever watch Star Trek: The Next Generation? The characters live in a world where Earth has solved the problems of hunger and energy and the acquisition of stuff -- and in doing so, enabled its populace to transcend its differences. Of course, if you're from some alien species, these Earthlings may not warm up to you -- but they will defend your rights and treat you with respect unless you attack them first.

There's an episode in which the crew of the Enterprise encounters an ancient ship that contains some people who were frozen after their deaths in the 22nd century. Medical science has advanced sufficiently to solve their health problems, and they are revived. One man is very concerned about his money. He made arrangements to take care of himself financially after he was revived. He keeps demanding a telephone to contact his attorneys and bankers, and simply can't grasp the concept that "money" and the acquisition of wealth are now completely alien to his home world. That sort of freedom from lack can enable us to focus on what is important, and I believe our nation's affluence has contributed to its social progress.)

I believe the promise of our nation is that someday, everyone will be treated with equality, respect, dignity, and acceptance, without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or religious practice (or lack thereof). I believe that is the natural culmination of our metamorphosis from a nation in its infancy to a fully-realized society.

I also think that some people feel very threatened by the thought of real equality and acceptance. These are the people who still insist President Obama is a Muslim (and somehow think that would be a bad thing), oppose the construction of Mosques around the country, oppose same-sex marriage, and support the new immigration law in Arizona.

Of those people, I ask: Why do you fear others? Are you afraid they will take something away from you? Do you believe you cannot succeed without starting from a position of privilege? Does it make you feel more at home in the world if you have the frame of reference of black-and-white, good-and-evil memes? Is it comforting to be able to point to something and say it is bad?

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