I found William Galston’s column in the Wall Street Journal very thought-provoking. In outlining the results of a Brookings study he writes:
Many political observers think that as the parties have polarized, Democrats have become the liberal mirror-image of a predominantly conservative Republican Party. But conservative views are more common among Democrats than liberal ones are among Republicans. Although Democrats are often portrayed as secular, pro-immigrant internationalists, the survey finds that 45% of Democrats think that believing in God is part of being truly American, and 43% say the same thing about being born in the U.S. More than one-third of Democrats think that being Christian is another such requirement. Thirty-three percent of Democrats say that America is in danger of losing its culture and identity, and 37% believe that the American way of life needs to be protected from foreign influence.
Who are these often-overlooked Democrats? They are disproportionately black and Hispanic, especially black and Hispanic Protestants. Slightly more are women than men. Not many are under 30, and about 8 in 10 don’t have a four-year college degree. Many white progressives seem unaware that these Democrats exist, but they do, and they matter.
It is disconcerting that so many Republicans consider those who aren’t Christians to be less than fully American. But 35% of Democrats—most of them racial and ethnic minorities—feel the same way.
which, once again, echoes things I’ve been saying around here for some time. Whatever your views it simply isn’t true that Democrats are in lockstep agreement about much of anything and the progressive Democratic leadership is running a risk that they’ll look around and find that voting blocs they previously thought of as reliable aren’t quite as reliable any more for the simple reason that the leadership is so out of touch with what large numbers of Democrats believe. They should understand the risks they’re taking.
Feel lucky?
As for my views I don’t think that you need to have been born in the United States to be “truly American” but it helps. I don’t think you must be Christian to be “truly American” but it helps. I don’t even think you need to speak English to be “truly American” but, once again, it helps.
Legally if one has been born here, or attained citizenship, they are considered an American. Consequently, race, religion, ethnicity, country of origin etc. has never crossed my mind as qualifying factors for being a certified “American.†In fact many born in other countries, IMO, become the most gracious, productive Americans, because they have experiences contrasting this country’s advantages with the offerings of their country of origin. The new VA Lt Gov., Winsome Sears, is an example of this, immigrating from Jamaica at an early age, and joining the Marines because of her love for this country. Lots of Hispanics, Asians, and other foreign born, when they become fully integrated and employed, also become loyal and patriotic Americans, unlike many of our homegrown elites.
Unfortunately, the Democrat party redundantly employs racial differences as a wedge issue in almost every election. They seem to assume if anyone has tinges of skin coloring, other than white, should entertain the idea of possibly being a victim of racism. It was this kind of divisive rhetoric and stunts that egregiously infused yesterday’s election, and was a real turn-off for many people. Parents upset with CRT education were called white supremists. The other side injected people into public settings, with Confederate patches or tiki torches, as a way to symbolically tarnish their opponent’s image. I wonder if some of those more moderate democrats, polled in that Brookings Study, essentially haven’t already walked away from the democrat party without formally severing their party affiliation ties. I know that’s my history – being a democrat most of my adult life, only re-registering as an indie around 3 years ago. A few democrat friends of mine are now undergoing the same evolvement, from lifelong Democrat to voting Republican, without changing their registration…yet too.
You have been touting the notion, Dave, for quite some time now that “real” Democrats are quite at odds (more moderate) with a relatively small minority of progressives. And yet, so many Dem pols are reacting, and are running far to the left of traditional Dem values, counting on a reflexive lever pull. Balkan politics is rampant in most Dem campaigns: racism, xenophobia, class envy, homophobia and now genderphobia, and all wokeism in general. Progressivism is a minority?? Really?
The elitist and academic (whats the difference?) wing is in power. Our self appointed betters. Today, in the face of a drubbing, both Biden and Pelosi doubled down on all this. Is this a pure “circle-the-wagons-we-need-a-political-win-at-any-cost” stance? Or a Kamikaze do or die move? Where are the classic liberals? Where are those really caring for the Average Joe? Not China Joe. The Average Joe. Where, exatly, is your centrist party?
On the Republican side. Yes, we have what I call the Chamber of Commerce or corporatist wing, including the never Trumpers. A pox on them. Scumbags. Sellouts to China and being invited to A list cocktail parties. Then we have the Average Joe wing. Sorry, this is where Trump, with all his warts, plays. Ah, good times. Good times. People, especially the Average Joe, did well. Ignore this philosophy at your peril. A kinder, gentler Youngkin showed the way. The hated DeSantis understands it.
As a signal – I hear USA Today, NYT, WaPo, MSNBC etc and others didn’t even cover Winsome Sears. Now we know who the real racists are. Fuck them and their readers. This woman and her story should be lionized. But no. Doesn’t fit the lefty narrative.
I reject the entire construct of “real Americans” or “truly American.” It’s anathema to the American creed and, by definition, seeks to divide people into “real” or “true” Americans and those who aren’t. It’s tribalism and ought to be rejected IMO.
Agree with Andy. I don’t know that it started with the recent Tea Party movement and Palin but she/they really pushed the idea of “real” Americans.
Steve
I agree with Chesterton: “America is a nation built on a creed”. If you believe in the creed, you are truly American regardless of race, ethnicity, birth country, religion, income, language, etc.
The threat today is that the creed is under assault. One of its most important components is that you must believe in the benignity of the American experiment. Not that the experiment has completely succeeded but that it was benign.
American was built on the idea of equality for everyone, no matter their ethnicity, religion, social status. That steadfast given of “equality†has now mutated into “equity,†under the social progressives’ s manifesto. Under this same kind of progressive ideology they have substituted the gauzy idea of “social justice†for “freedom†– freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, to say “no†to be injected with something we don’t want, or a school curriculum we object to. And, instead of seeing these violations of our freedoms forms of growing authoritarianism,, the social progressives are labeling those fighting back as either domestic terrorists or white supremists.
I agree with Chesterton: “America is a nation built on a creedâ€
Don’t forget he also compared that creed to the Spanish Inquisition. Gotta love GKC’s biting wit!
Unlike other nations we don’t have bloodlines, a relationship to the land (“our people have always lived here”), a shared religion, or even a shared language to bind us together. What we have is the American creed. Undermine that and there is no there there.