There is deep disagreement among Americans today on what it means to be an American. The two sides are so polarized that each sees the other as a threat to our democracy's continued existence. There is even occasional talk about the possibility of civil war.
With the passions this disagreement has fostered, how do we have a reasoned discussion of what it means to be an American, which is essential to returning this country to a time when we felt we were all Americans, regardless of our differences on specific policies and programs? Where do we find the space to have that discussion?
I believe that we find that place by looking at documents Americans hold dear: our founding document—the Declaration of Independence—and the Pledge of Allegiance.
I suggest the Pledge because, although it is recited mostly by rote, its words encapsulate the essence of the principles of our founding documents. And it is recited every day by millions of Americans of all ages.
So what does the pledge say? "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
Let's start from the end: "with liberty and justice for all." The meaning of the phrase "for all" is unambiguous in its commitment to equality in liberty and justice. Equality is thus one of the three aspects that the Pledge says are essential to the nature of America; the other two are being "under God" and being "indivisible."
But for the 33% of our fellow Americans who are either poor or people of color, liberty and justice have always been limited. "How so?" you may ask. "Aren't we all free to do what we want?" Not really.
"Liberty" means having the opportunity to pursue life and your dreams. But for this segment of our citizens, there is little opportunity, starting with the fact that they are not given truly equal educational opportunity, and without that, the way forward is blocked.
"Justice" means that people are treated fairly and equally in both courts of law and by society. While courts treat the poor and people of color fairly, they experience little social justice. Yes, there are government and other programs that help the poor and people of color with money and in other ways. But on balance, they suffer discrimination not just from people but at the hands of the government in many ways, starting with the education they are offered.
The next important concept is "indivisible." The pledge was written in 1892, with the Civil War still fresh enough in the country's memory that pledging that our country was indivisible was of great importance.
For most of the 160 years since that war, regardless of regional, racial, class, or political differences, people felt we were all Americans, and all came together in moments of crisis. We were able to agree to disagree.
Today, that is no longer the case. The two almost equally divided halves of this country do not agree to disagree. Each side feels the other is a danger to the country's future.
And what is the meaning of "one nation under God?" It does not mean that we are all of the same religion, that there is a state religion. But it does mean that we follow God's commandments: an essential one, which is the cornerstone of all the great religions and humanism, being "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
Do you see much of that present today? While 74% of Americans report that they believe in God, what does that mean? Even in the "born again" Evangelical heyday, when kids wore wristbands that asked, "What would Jesus do?" believers did not act as Jesus would have. It was sad. It would, unfortunately, be more accurate to say that, in reality, we are mostly a God-less nation; that money and greed rule, not God.
Looking at the Declaration of Independence, we see the same essential elements of what is important to the concept of America.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men."
The first concept presented in the Declaration is, "all men are created equal." It is clear from the writings of the Founders that this is to be taken at face value, regardless of what the truth on the ground was at the time. This truth was aspirational. So for both the Declaration and the Pledge, equality is the cornerstone.
The Declaration goes on to acknowledge the Creator—God—as being the source of our principles, as does the Pledge. Note, however, that the Constitution makes no mention of God because the Founders were intent that there be a separation between church and state.
The Declaration then states that we all have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Pledge similarly states that one of the foundations of our republic is "liberty and justice for all." Clearly, for both the Pledge and the Declaration, the principle that all citizens are entitled to pursue their dreams and make of their lives what they will is central to our republic. John Adams made very clear that while inequality is inherent in nature, all people have the moral right to pursue their dreams.
The Declaration says how this is to be implemented—that the role of government is "to secure these rights." What does that mean? It means that the government must do all it can to ensure that all people have an equal opportunity to pursue their dreams; it is not the government's responsibility to fulfill those dreams.
What I have said in this article will strike many at first reading as being just wrong, so contrary is it to what they have come to believe. We are a nation that has lost its way. Even before Trump, our social contract was being shredded. It started with Reagan. The distrust of government, which he fostered together with his embrace of the "Me" generation—focused on self-fulfillment and eschewing social responsibility—brought about a major shift in what Americans considered their guidance for being good Americans.
I just ask that the reader sit with the words of the documents that define America's principles. See the centrality of the concept of equality in those documents and understand the impact that concept has—that no one in exercising his right can impede the exercise of another person's right.
Come to the understanding that you and your fellow citizens are all Americans. From the start, America has been one nation composed of people of diverse ethnic, national, and religious backgrounds. And from the start, Americans have held different opinions about various things, and often about almost all things, but we respected the right of everyone to have their own opinion and agreed that we are all, at base, Americans. We can still all agree to disagree; each in his own way, fighting for America's principles.
Being passionate about America is a good thing; there is so much about our country to be passionate about. But some of us have been led down a path that distorts American principles to something decidedly un-American.
Renew your faith in the America created by our Founders, and vote for whoever you feel will best implement America's founding principles in the policies and programs of government.
Ronald L. Hirsch is a teacher, legal aid lawyer, survey researcher, nonprofit executive, consultant, composer, author, and volunteer. He is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Chicago Law School and the author of We Still Hold These Truths. Read more of his writing at www.PreservingAmericanValues.com
