Thursday, November 04, 2004
Bush Country
In the aftermath of the election, it becomes more clear about how widespread the reality is:
One of the things people need to realize is this:
America is as much an idea of what life should be like as much as a place.
For much of America, the idea is:
Most importantly, probably, is that values are seen as something worth dying for, and so worth designing a life around, even if we fall short of it a lot of time.
The American Bushido, way of the American citizen-warrior, perhaps. It was forged in the blood of settlement, and no matter what you think of us, this is what most of us are. New York and San Francisco don't represent most of us, nor does Los Vegas or even Chicago. Most of America believes in God, Mom and Apple Pie. If you have trouble understanding this, calling us stupid and telling us we need to be led by the people we see as having no center, no bottom, no core values except "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die," won't work. Stop calling us things like "flyover country." Study us with an open mind like one of those exotic Eastern cultures that so enthrall the new age movement, and you will learn why most of America is Red and not blue. And in the process you might learn why this has worked so long. After all, we are the longest surviving democratic republic on earth. We have never had a second revolution, we have only had one civil war, and we have time and again worked hard to be the good guys, even if we have gotten off track now and again.
Learn, and you will understand why America wants to be the city on the hill, and not just Europe West. And maybe this will all make sense to you. And if not, well God bless you, and see you at the polls!
One of the things people need to realize is this:
America is as much an idea of what life should be like as much as a place.
For much of America, the idea is:
- Based on Family
- Based on the Judeo-Christian culture
- Based on Hetero-sexual values and behaviors
- Based on the concept of natural law - that there are real rights and wrongs
Most importantly, probably, is that values are seen as something worth dying for, and so worth designing a life around, even if we fall short of it a lot of time.
The American Bushido, way of the American citizen-warrior, perhaps. It was forged in the blood of settlement, and no matter what you think of us, this is what most of us are. New York and San Francisco don't represent most of us, nor does Los Vegas or even Chicago. Most of America believes in God, Mom and Apple Pie. If you have trouble understanding this, calling us stupid and telling us we need to be led by the people we see as having no center, no bottom, no core values except "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die," won't work. Stop calling us things like "flyover country." Study us with an open mind like one of those exotic Eastern cultures that so enthrall the new age movement, and you will learn why most of America is Red and not blue. And in the process you might learn why this has worked so long. After all, we are the longest surviving democratic republic on earth. We have never had a second revolution, we have only had one civil war, and we have time and again worked hard to be the good guys, even if we have gotten off track now and again.
Learn, and you will understand why America wants to be the city on the hill, and not just Europe West. And maybe this will all make sense to you. And if not, well God bless you, and see you at the polls!
# posted by Knitting a Conundrum @ 6:20 AM 
