
Photo from Esquire archive
What Is An American?
4th of July Special Edition
This 4th of July, 2009 is the 9th celebration of Independence of the 21st century. Our country has gone through so much to be so young, and yet there is so much more to go through. At this hour in all the homes across this land men and women strive to sustain control over their lives, seek deeper meaning to their existence, sustenance for their minds and bodies, shelter over their heads.
In this hour of our 223rd year of Independence as we cautiously prepare for change and pray for stability one may pause and ask the question, who are we? What is an American?
Not long ago a very young man home from active duty in the war spoke before people on July 4th, 1946 in Boston and described elements of the American character. His name was John Fitzgerald Kennedy. He could not have known that in the not too distant future he would be President of the United States of America.
Notwithstanding his ideas serve as a foundation, a creed, for us today as they did for him back then.
He wrote, ‘It is well for us to consider our American character, for in peace, as in war, we will survive or fail according to its measure.
JFK described Americans with four distinct characteristics: religious, idealistic, patriotic, and individualistic. For the sake of brevity I have copied much of this speech below. For a full view of his words and wisdom see the link at the end.
Religion.
On religion, he surmised that our deep religious sense is the first element of the American character. The informing spirit of the American character has always been a deep religious sense. Throughout the years, down to the present, a devotion to fundamental religious principles has characterized American thought and action. Our government was founded on the essential integrity of the individual. It was this religious sense which inspired the authors 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.”
Our early legislation was inspired by this deep religious sense: “Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion”.
Our first leader, Washington, was inspired by this deep religious sense: “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”
Lincoln was inspired by this deep religious sense: “That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish on earth.”
How well, then as Detocqueville said, “You may talk of the people and their majesty, but where there is no respect for God can there be much for man? You may talk of the supremacy of the ballot, respect for order, denounce riot, succession, unless religion is the first link, all is vain.”
The cynics are wrong, for while there may be some truth in their interpretation, it does remain a fact, and a most important one, that the motivating force of the American people has been their belief that they have always stood at the barricades by the side of God.
Again, the cynics may supply the economic interpretation to this conflict: the industrial North against the agricultural South; the struggle of the two economies, say what they will, it is an undeniable fact that the Northern Army of Virginia and the Army of the Potomac were inspired by devotion to principle: on the one hand the right of secession, on the other, the belief that the Union must be preserved.
Idealism
In 1917, this element of the American character was stimulated by the slogan, “War to End War” and “a War to Save Democracy,” and again the American people had as their leader a man, Woodrow Wilson, whose idealism was the traditional idealism of America. To such a degree was this true he was able to say, “Some people call me an idealist. Well, that is the way I know I am an American. America is the only idealistic nation in the world.”
JFK went on to discuss the difference between WWI and WWII and how our character, our idealism became tarnished due to extraordinary events. While the generation of Americans that faced WWI were morally supportive of that war WWII brought another generation new concepts like racial superiority, and monetarism, which made some less motivated and uncertain of our character.
It is now in the post war world that this idealism - this devotion to principle - this belief in the natural law - this deep religious conviction that this is truly God’s country and we are truly God’s people - will meet its greatest trial.
But, if we remain faithful to the American tradition, our idealism will be a steadfast thing, a constant flame, a torch held aloft for the guidance of other nations.
It will take great faith.
Our idealism, the second element of the American character, is being severely tested. Now, only time will tell whether the element of the American character will be true to its historic tradition.
Patriotism.
The third element of the American character that I would bring to your attention is the great patriotic instinct of our people.
From our pioneer days, perhaps because we were a people who developed from a beachhead on a tremendous continent, this American patriotism has always had as its core a strange and mystical love of the land.
From the birth of the nation to the present day, from the Heights of Dorchester to the broad meadows of Virginia, from Bunker Hill to the batteries of Saratoga, from Bergen’s Neck, where Wayne and Maylen’s troops achieved such martial wonders, to Yorktown, where Britain’s troops surrendered, Americans have heroically embraced the soldier’s alternative of victory or the grave. American patriotism was shown at the Halls of Montezuma. It was shown with Meade at Gettysburg, with Sheridan at Winchester, with Phil Carney at Fair Oaks, with Longstreet in the Wilderness, and it was shown by the flower of the Virginia Army when Pickett charged at Gettysburg.
In recent years it was shown by those who stood at Bataan with Wainwright, by those who fought at Wake Island with Devereaux, who flew in the air with Don Gentile. It was shown by those who jumped with Gavin, by those who stormed the bloody beaches at Salerno with Commando Kelly it was shown by the 1st Division at Omaha Beach, by the Second Ranger Battalion as it crossed the Purple Heart Valley, by the 101st as it stood at Bastogne, it was shown at the Bulge, the Rhine, and at victory.
Whenever freedom has been in danger, Americans with a deep sense of patriotism have ever been willing to stand at Armageddon and strike a blow for liberty and the Lord.
Individualism.
The American character has been not only religious, idealistic, and patriotic, but because of these it has been essentially individual.
The right of the individual against the State has ever been one of our most cherished political principles.
The American Constitution has set down for all men to see essentially Christian and American principle that there are certain rights held by every man which no government and no majority, however powerful can deny.
Conceived in Grecian thought, strengthened by Christian morality, and stamped indelibly into American political philosophy, the right of the individual against the State is the keystone of our Constitution. Each man is free. He is free in thought. He is free in expression. He is free in worship.
To us who have been reared in American tradition, these rights have become part of very being. Despite our desire for them to be universally exercised they are not. Still large sections of the world deny their people these rights as a matter of philosophy and as a matter of government.
We cannot assume that the struggle is ended. It is never-ending.
Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. It was the price yesterday. It was the price today, and it will ever be the price.
The characteristics of the American people have ever been a deep sense of religion, a deep sense of idealism, a deep sense of patriotism, and a deep sense of individualism.
JFK - 1946 Boston 4th of July speech. To view the entire speech and other essential Kennedy news go to http://theKennedys.wordpress.com.
May you have peace and prosperity with fewer problems.