Redstate

Posted at 11:15am on Dec. 16, 2007 Only reason I would vote for Huckabee

By Sam Gamgee

First of all, I'm for Fred. To me, he's the only "consistent conservative," as he likes to say, and he's the best person to unite the party. I'd happily support Mitt as well, because although he may be a "Johnny come lately" to the conservative movement, I believe he would be (mostly) faithful to conservative principles. A year ago I thought I'd never vote for McCain, but he's actually impressed me more than I thought during this campaign, and I could vote for him without holding my nose. Same for Rudy -- I think he would be good on national security and crime, and I'd hope for the best on judicial appointments.

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Posted at 12:39pm on Jun. 1, 2006 Moderation is not always a dirty word

By Sam Gamgee

Martin McKnight wrote a diary recently that contended that moderation is a crock.  Clearly he is right insofar as the MSM defines "moderates" (i.e. people who always want to please, even to the point of abandoning their ideals - if they had any in the first place.)  But I would contend that moderation is not always a dirty word.  Sometimes, in fact, it is a virtue.

More below the fold . . .

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Posted at 7:32pm on Jan. 23, 2006 Describing the American National Identity and Culture

By Sam Gamgee

I've been following with interest the various discussions of immigration policy and trying to protect American Culture.  The Sophist wrote in a comment in his recent diary, "what is needed from the conservative Republican standpoint is to chart a middle course between the radical Culturalists and the radical Creedalists, and deny the radical multiculturalists that would equate the American story with the Nigerian or Iranian or whatever-else story."

This seems to me to be a big challenge, but one that Red State bloggers are up to meeting.

Here's a humble first attempt at describing those parts of American National Identity that are worth protecting, emphasizing both the American "creed" and American culture.  (By the way, I stole verbatim much of the description of the American "creed" from The Sophist, and borrowed many ideas from various comments by Paul Cella for a description of the "culture."  So credit can be given to both of those contributors, but all blame goes to me.)

Before you read this diary, please read The Sophists diary entitled "American Culture and Illegal Immigration" first:

 http://thesophist.redstate.com/story/2006/1/22/01141/6028

Now that you've read that, here are my ideas:

Foundations of the American national identity are based upon two related pillars, the American "Creed" as identified in our founding documents and the American Culture, which is, by nature, continually evolving.  These two pillars can be described as follows:

1.    The American "Creed".  The unique American national identity is based primarily on the principles of the American "Creed," which were founded by Anglo-Protestant people, based on political and social philosophies of the European Enlightenment, and are set forth in our founding documents: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution (especially the Bill of Rights), the Emancipation Proclamation and the Reconstruction Amendments.  

2.    The American Culture.  While culture is constantly changing, and while culture is never monolithic, it is possible to define those aspects of the American Culture that are long-standing and worthy of protection.  Many of these characteristics are ideals or aspirations that Americans do not completely live up to.  Nevertheless, they are widely accepted as the ideals we should strive to live by:

a.    The English Language.  Without language, we cannot have the kind of shared national identity that binds people together.  Both logic and history teach that a shared primary language is crucial to a long-lasting national identity.

b.    A Shared Religious Heritage.  While every individual is free to worship (or not worship) God in his or her own way, most Americans share a general belief in one God, a belief in the afterlife, a belief in Judeo-Christian moral teachings, and a belief that sincere adherence to one's own religious beliefs is valuable and respected.  America was founded by, and is populated primarily by, Christians, Jews, deists, and those who respect the three categories of beliefs above.

c.    A Tradition of Participatory Democracy.  In addition to the big-picture issues described in the American Creed, the American culture has a tradition of participatory democracy at all levels of society, from PTAs at schools, to social and civil clubs, to school board and town council meetings.

d.    An Understanding and Appreciation of the Rule of Law.  We are a nation of law, not men.  In other words, no person is above the law.  It is the consistent understanding and application of the law that provides the necessary stability for both a prosperous economy and a peaceful society.

e.    An Understanding and Appreciation for the Free Enterprise System.  Although Americans may disagree with the appropriate role of the government in regulating and overseeing commerce, there is a general understanding among most Americans that the free enterprise system is most compatible with human freedom and dignity, and that it promotes the most economic resources for all members of society.

f.    A Shared Understanding of the American Story.  Our national identity includes traditional stories concerning the importance of Western Civilization, the settlement of America by the Pilgrims and others, the struggle of our Founding Fathers for freedom and democracy, Westward Expansion and Manifest Destiny, our Civil War and the end of Slavery, our industrial and commercial expansion, our overcoming of the Great Depression, our fight against Fascism in World War II, our struggle with racial segregation and Civil Rights, and our struggle against international Communism in the Cold War.

g.    A Shared Understanding of the American Dream.  In America, one is not born into a rigid social class.  Instead, the ideal is that men and women are judged on their merit.  Every American has the opportunity to make the most of what God has given him or her.  Every American has the opportunity to get an education, make a good living, buy a home, make a better mousetrap (and profit by it), become rich (financially and otherwise), and even to become President.

h.    A Shared Appreciation for American Icons.  We appreciate traditional political American icons like the American Flag, the bald eagle and our national monuments.  We also appreciate natural and cultural monuments like Yellowstone Park, the Grand Canyon, the Empire State Building, and the Golden Gate Bridge.  In addition, we acknowledge (even if we don't appreciate) social icons like apple pie, hot dogs, and representative American music (such as jazz, rock and country music).  Finally, we respect iconic leaders who have become part of our social identity (regardless of the fact that they were, like all men, flawed and sinful men), leaders like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King.

i.    A Fervent American Patriotism.  For the most part, Americans take seriously the idea of loyalty to ones country and to ones fellow citizens, especially in the face of threats from non-Americans.  For generations, this has been true not only for native-born Americans, but for immigrants who are naturalized here, and consider themselves Americans first and foremost - not dividing their loyalty between more than one country.

j.    An Understanding of America as a "Melting Pot".  Historically, as a nation of immigrants, we have understood that each immigrant and each immigrant group amalgamates into the existing America in order to make the American Melting Pot.  By doing so, they enrich the culture by introducing food, music, traditions, holidays and other customs into the overall American culture.  But also, by doing so, they lose some of their own distinctives, in order to see their primary identity as American (not primarily German, Italian, Irish, Chinese or African).  It is a melting pot, not a buffet.  

k.    Common National Events.  An acknowledgement of certain traditional  holidays (both religious and secular) and traditional national events (regardless of whether one participates or appreciates them).  These traditional events include Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines Day, Easter and Independence Day, as well as major sporting events such as the World Series and the Superbowl.

l.    Shared Social Mores.  Although social mores have declined in recent years, there are certain social understandings that are still generally understood, but which cannot be listed comprehensively.  Americans generally acknowledge these values, even though they often act against them.  They include:  (i) a respect for the value of human life, (ii) a respect for traditional Judeo-Christian moral and family values, (iii) a respect for other people's beliefs, even if they contradict ones own, and (iv) a philosophy of "live and let live" that requires us to tolerate (but not necessarily condone) others' decisions.

As I read over what I've just written, it seems to me that these values are much more at risk from multiculturalists at home than they are from Hispanic immigrants.  In fact, I'm willing to bet that if we find ways to help Hispanic immigrants come into the mainstream of American society, they will be vocal and loyal proponents of these American ideals, and will thus strengthen, not weaken, the American National Identity (including culture).

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