America is Good

So lately I picked up and read this book by Glenn Beck, who in spite of being a television personality sometimes makes a good bit of sense. It's an easy read, like the pamphlet by Tom Paine that inspired it, and in the back it contains a list of nine statements and twelve principles which Mr. Beck believes will help preserve the Union. I thought it would be an interesting vent for my politicktical (ten points for the Homestar reference, if you get it--have you been tallying your points?) writing to go through his statements and principles and examine them. So this is the first article in the series; lucky you!

(If my politicktical opinions bore you, please skip. I won't be hurt. I'll post some baby stuff for ya'll soon.)

The first statement is:

1. America is good.

By this I don't think Beck means that America never makes mistakes or even that our national sins are small, since most of his book is about how America has gone off-course. Rather I think that Beck means that what have classically been American ideals (personal freedom, participation in government, hard work, etc.) are good. I think Beck also means that frequently throughout its history America has been on the side of righteousness. I agree with him.

If this makes your hackles raise, remember that there is a difference between patriotism and jingoism. Jingoism might be summarized as "our country right or wrong", which is a dangerous and most wicked idolatry. Patriotism, on the contrary, is never so grieved as when "our country" is wrong. Just as there is a kind of "love" which has nothing to do with the good of its object, but only the satisfaction of the lover, so jingoism has nothing actually to do with the good of the country. Patriotism, and true love, will both take measures that make the beloved uncomfortable or even unhappy if those measures will ensure the ultimate good of the beloved.

The uneasiness which many Americans feel at claiming any pride in American accomplishments results from a charming but mistaken sense of unworthiness. National sins (and they exist) aside, many Americans have a mistaken idea that a badge of a really enlightened nation is to fit in with Europe (i.e., the Cool Kids).

Why this should be, when we are not part of Europe, is something of a mystery; America was, after all, settled by people who couldn't get along in Europe. It's also a separate continent, with its own distinct culture, idiom, and ideals. It makes only slightly more sense to say that America should be governed by European opinions than it does to say that say, Japan or Tibet should.

This is not to say that Americans should make themselves obnoxious or officious in Europe. European (and Asian and Australian, for that matter) countries should be free to run their own business in their own way. When America is really sinful--for example, in our abortion laws, or while slavery was legal here--then Americans have due cause to blush for her and indeed to urge the mercy of God with tears and fasting. But where Americans are simply behaving like Americans in another country, their countrymen shouldn't wince. "American" is not synonymous with "boor" or "uneducated". Neither should Americans be held accountable for their nation's foreign policy until it's been actually determined they agree with it; I wouldn't hold a Russian to whatever interesting ideas have emerged from Medvedev's mouth lately.

So those of you who are Americans reading this (presumably any others will have gotten bored a long time ago and are scrolling down to watch the "Africa" video again) can feel better about feeling good about your country. Remember, true love acts in uncomfortable ways sometimes for the good of the beloved. If you love your country, you must ask God's mercy for national sins and be sure you do not participate in them. Abortion seems defensible now; slavery seemed defensible at the time. Something to think about.

Cheers,

Breanna