Anticipating the nation’s semi-quincentennial, a survey by The Economist/YouGov found that 42% of voting age adults polled were “very proud” to be American with another 18% “somewhat proud.” That historically low total is due to the 60% of Democrats who feel ashamed to be American (12% percent claimed to be “very ashamed”). Polling was conducted from June 13-15.
Younger Americans are another grouping that does not feel the same affinity for the USA.
250 years, less 12 days, ago…our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. 13 years later the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
Admittedly, the path to that “more perfect Union” has been a turbulent one, sometimes culminating in violent fury. 2% of the entire population (620,000 deaths) made the ultimate sacrifice in the Civil War when brother fought brother (literally in many instances) in the attempt to resolve the most divisive political question in our nation’s history.
Political division, often fueled by irresponsible partisan rhetoric, has been a feature of the American Experience from its inception. Read up on the 1800 Presidential Election between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams if you don’t believe it (we recommend American Aurora). It is a product of the factionalism that George Washington warned against but took root immediately after the American Cincinnatus voluntarily exited the political arena after two terms as Chief Executive.
Factionalism is a feature of our politics, not a bug, as two inherently corrupt parties have a stranglehold on elections (because the parties control all the money). Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The problem isn’t America, but Americans mostly incapable of Washington’s idealism.
But citizens with different political views, even disagreeing on what it meant to be American, were still proud to be one. Country before party used to be the rule, or so it seemed back in the olden days. What about now?
Visit the right side of our home page to weigh in. How proud are you to be an American?
- Extremely proud
- Somewhat proud
- Neutral
- Somewhat ashamed
- Extremely ashamed
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