A column by Joseph Epstein in the 4/22 edition of the WSJ got me to thinking. Epstein vigorously castigates politicians who address the “American people.” He writes that by doing so “they avoid any notion that they are party hacks or merely in business for themselves.” He wraps up his diatribe calling for the "American people" (it is ironic how he invokes the term here) to rise up and insist that our politicians knock off further mention of the "American People.”
So what about this: Is there still a legitimate concept of the "American People?” Should the term even be invoked?
I, for one, think the answers to these questions are "there is" and "yes.”
Epstein is of course, correct in recognizing that we are increasingly conscious of different, varying individual identities. He is correct in calling out how polarized we are--geographically (rural vs. urban), by political party and on a whole range of issues: abortion, voting rights, gun regulations to choose just three. I don't need to be reminded of how our opinions, needs, hopes and aspirations vary. Nor do I need to be reminded how easy it is for politicians—for all of us for that matter—to utter gauzy phrases without seriously coming to grips with what they actually mean or how they can be made substantive and real.
Yet, I firmly believe the concept of the "American People" is a real, important and valuable one—even if in some ways it is aspirational, idealized and mythical. I also firmly believe it is up to us to take actions and live in ways so that the ideals embedded in this concept are preserved and made more of a reality.
So, what is that concept?
For me, it is seeing America as a land of opportunity, of abundant resources, a land where entrepreneurial, optimistic and future-oriented spirit reign.
I see the "American People" as a people committed to individual freedom, to every person's having the chance and resources to progress as far as their ambition takes them.
I see the "American People" as generally a generous people, a people of good will, even though in some cases our perception of what constitutes "generosity" and "good will" fails to recognize the world as non-Americans view it and as it exists. That myopia derives in part from a too elevated conception of America's "exceptionalism." It has led to some tragic mistakes such as Vietnam.
I see the "American People" becoming more aware and conscious of the imperfections in their history (slavery, treatment of Native Americans, discrimination). However, we dare not allow the honest understanding of all our history to lead us to fail to appreciate, honor and strike out to achieve the ideals which our Nation has sought since its very beginning. Ideals which for me are captured in these immortal words of the Declaration of Independence:
"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 Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness.”
I have asked myself—what are moments that trigger my feeling that “I am an American”—and do so in a way that makes me feel part of something I am proud of?
What came to my mind first was the simple act of entering the voting booth and putting my mark on the candidates of my choice. Here is an act of citizenship which I relish. I feel privileged and proud in doing it.
Another example is my meeting immigrants in my church who have fled from persecution and have found a haven of safety and opportunity in our community.
I take a sense of pride in the history of young men and women risking and giving their lives in the fight for Freedom in WWII. I take pride in the ingenuity which led to the first landing on the moon and today to the speed with which drugs were created and deployed to combat COVID.
I have found it meaningful to consider how non-US leaders have viewed the concept of the American people over time.
Few people studied America and the American people as closely and critically as Alexis DeTocqueville in his tour of the United States in 1830-31. He portrays Americans as “fiercely independent, entrepreneurial and practical.” He did worry that our individualism could lead to isolationism and the pursuit of personal interests at the expense of the community.
Winston Churchill’s views of the American people were complex but they centered on our being “courageous, industrious and innovative.”
Moving to the current moment and turning to China, here is how a close personal friend and successful leader of one of China's largest department store chains characterizes his attitude to America and Americans, even in the face of a deteriorating political relationship:
''Over the past forty years, the United States has had the deepest influence on the Chinese people, and it has become the dream of a generation to learn from American advancement and civilization and to build an open and modern China. For many Chinese, the United States is a generous, civilized, confident, and respectable country and a beacon of modernization construction.”
That I submit is a pretty good description of the "American people.” Does it paper over many different perceptions of what it means to be an American? Yes, it does. And we need to understand those differences. But as historian Thomas Bender argues, it is important to understand and honor the "whole" as well as the "parts". And as I wrote earlier, it is vital that we pursue policies and treat others in a way which moves us closer to the ideals embedded in the concept of the “American people.”
I believe it is worth pointing out that we have called and relied on the concept of the "American people" most often at times of extraordinary crisis—like the Great Depression, WWII or, positively, the goal of eliminating polio or landing a man on the moon.
This perspective raises a question: Shouldn't we be defining certain transcendental goals today in the same way: as essential to the continued welfare of the country and as being in the interest of and requiring the effort of us all?
The answer is “yes.” I find it striking how the leaders of the most successful of corporations and universities do precisely this. They present a vision and set of goals for the entire organization. They describe how the goals will be achieved and make it clear that everyone will need to be working together to achieve the goal and there will be collective satisfaction in that accomplishment.
We need leaders of our nation, our states and cities to do this. This will require strong, bold, courageous visionary leadership. It will require straight talk; not political-speech. We cannot be put off by the challenge polarization represents. Ask yourself: What recent Presidents have called on the American people as a whole to pursue an existentially important objective? Lincoln's called on the American people to preserve the Union and abolish slavery. FDR called on the American People to win the battle for Freedom. Kennedy challenged the American people to come together to land a man on the moon. Lyndon Johnson called on the American People to wage a war on poverty.
We need our Presidents—really the leaders of any organization—to address the people as a whole and challenge them (us) to pursue a worthy, truly essential and inspiring goal. Leaders must not allow our polarization—real as it is—to stop them from addressing the American people honestly and sympathetically as a whole. That is how to unite and make real the concept of the "American People.”
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