I ♥ America
07.04.2003Dinesh D'Souza (an immigrant from India) wrote a column for the San Francisco Chronicle titled "10 things to celebrate / Why I'm an anti-anti-American." My favorite line: "America is the only country in the world where we call the waiter "sir," as if he were a knight." You should read it (it's much better than what I write below).
I know that patriotism is a little gauche among members of my generation. After all, post-modernism gives much reason to criticize American values. And, yes, there are things worth criticizing. But. There's also something more.
This was the first country founded on a universalist Idea. Not on divine right. Not on ethnic self-determination or "blood" brotherhood. Not on brute force (sure, force was used to defend those ideas, but only after much hand-wringing).
Look at the "Declaration of Independence" carefully. Look at what it says. In a few words, it spells out the core of modern, liberal, democratic political theory: All men (and women, too) are political equals. We have intrinsic rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness (our "property" or "the product of our labor"). Governments were made — by men — to secure these rights and rely on popular legitimacy. If they don't, we're entitled to make a new one.
Think of what that means. What it really means. It's something we so much take for granted now. And yet it's a dream largely unfulfilled in most of the world.
Notice that the so-called "Founding Fathers" didn't appeal to God. Sure, they mention the "Creator" and "Nature's God" — but that's not nearly the same thing. They didn't write: "Lord God, Jehova, gave us these rights." Rather, these rights are ours, by the very fact that we are human beings.
Notice also that they didn't limit these rights to an ethnic group. Or people born of some "fatherland". They claimed that all men were created equal.
So. Why do I love America? Why am I "patriotic"? It's easy. I believe in the Idea.
This is a country founded on immigrants of all types. The fact that we have no "culture" (something many critics bemoan) is our strongest asset. We are open to the world! There are no outsiders here. Our "culture" includes falafel, taco, pita, pizza, bagel, pastie, and sweet potato pie. Our "religion" includes Catholicism, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, B'haism, and Shintoism. America is amazing because it allows everyone to make his/her own destiny and identity. And that's a good thing.
¡Feliz cumpleaños América!
Posted by Miguel at 04:24 PM
Comments
Great post, and just in the nick of time! I was arguing the same idea to a friend, about "American Culture".
We mish you a bunch here in saginaw! Hope to see you soon!
Posted by: Andres at July 5, 2003 12:20 AM
That was a really good article!!
Long live USA!
Posted by: Steph at July 5, 2003 03:00 AM
Hear! Hear! And being such an open nation is one reason why John Stossel thinks America became so wealthy- because we were open to other ideas no matter how odd and its because of our diversity that we get those ideas (thank you very much Germany for Albert Einstein). I don't know if you were able to cath the "Is America #1?" special that aired a few years ago but it was really good.
Posted by: Kara at July 7, 2003 12:08 PM
Hey, well put. I want to do a "what is great about the USA" show when i come back on Plan B, want to help out?
Ask Bay about it!
Posted by: josh at July 8, 2003 12:26 PM