How to Be Pro-American

Recently, I wrote on the perils of being a super-power. Since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989, the United States hasn't fared well as the world's only super-power, given our enormous fall in global approval and the misadventure in Iraq. The article was labeled "an anti-American screed" by one right-wing blogger and attacked on Fox News. Which got me thinking about what it means to be pro-American, or for that matter, just American.

There will always be a contingent who believes that no one is American who wasn't born here, even someone like me who has lived in this country for nearly forty years, raised my kids here, and worked as a physician from coast to coast. The politics of xenophobia is alive and well in the Birthers movement in that a recent Research 2000 poll showed over half of Republicans do not think that President Obama is a natural born U.S. citizen. These so-called nativists aren't as strong as they used to be, but they remain a powerful force in the debate over immigration, for instance. To them, the only option for dealing with the current flood of illegal immigrants is to deport them all, and you're not a real American unless you agree.

Then there's the larger group on the right that believes in "my country right or wrong." They cannot tolerate any criticism of America and equate unquestioning patriotism with Americanism. This group becomes stronger when the country is threatened and has had a major influence since 9/11. Their targets tend to be anyone on the left -- leftism is automatically un-American -- or anyone who doesn't buy into the doctrine of maximum security, weakening of civil rights, and permanent detention for any person suspected of terrorism, preferably without trial. If given the chance, they will also mount witch hunts against anti-Americanism, as happened in the McCarthy era of the early Fifties. The disgrace and general uselessness of those campaigns doesn't seem to discourage them.

You will already know if you fall into any of these groups, but if you don't, if being pro-American isn't part of right-wing ideology for you, what does that leave? A new kind of Americanism is being shaped right now. President Obama exemplifies one aspect, the desire to look out on the world and accept it rather than look inward to America and reject everyone else. He doesn't panic over security or instill fear of "the other," especially Muslims. This stance goes back to an Americanism based on progressive ideals. There has always been a historical struggle between two value systems, with the progressive side valuing toleration, free markets, open immigration, extended civil rights, and no color barrier.

Since the Reagan revolution, this value system has been weakened to the extent that the first Pres. Bush could call his first campaign opponent, Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, a card-carrying liberal, echoing the terminology that Joe McCarthy used against card-carrying Communists. During the second Bush administration, when progressives had to duck and cover, the reactionary world view pointed the finger of anti-Americanism at anyone who didn't want to batten down the hatches and turn this country into a fearful, anxious place full of electronic surveillance, incipient terrorists around every corner, and an expanded military fed on unlimited funding for new weapons systems.

There is no doubt that both value systems must bend with the times. Ideas on immigration and security, civil rights and equal opportunity, free markets and open trade can't be the same now as they were in 1945 or even five years ago. Nothing is written in stone either on the right or the left, as much as certain partisans wish it were. With that in mind, I'd like to suggest a new view of being American that involves the following values we can all agree upon:

• Being open to change without fear and suspicion.
• Seeing the rest of the world as our back yard, not as a set of faraway places.
• Accepting the trend toward faster and faster global communications.
• Suppressing knee-jerk reactions of fear and paranoia toward immigrants.
• Re-examining on a regular basis the country's need for a standing military of enormous size and scope.
• Not labeling someone who disagrees with you as anti-American.

This isn't much to ask for, and it leaves room for a great deal of discussion and disagreement. We are coming out of a fiercely partisan schism that made America vulnerable to all the problems of a house divided against itself. Now we have a president determined to reverse the trend; his election was the first and biggest step in that direction. I only hope he realizes that sticking to the middle of the road isn't the same as having a vision. With a vision, being pro-American will turn into an honorable position we can all embrace. Without a vision, the ideals of Americanism will be paid lip service while the reality will continue to be simmering suspicion and anger toward each other.

Published in the San Francisco Chronicle

Follow Deepak on Twitter

Comments

[ApolloSpeaks]

MISADVAENTURE IN IRAQ?

Obama said in his Cairo speech, and I quote: "The people of Iraq are better off today without the regime of Saddam Hussein." When Obama spoke these words he was speaking for the vast majority of Iraqis who prefer post-Saddam Iraq with all its probalms to the reihn of terror and death that they suffered for 25 brutal years.

[Billie]

I agree with Mr. Chopra on most points but I take issue with seeing the rest of the world as "our backyard." Sounds patronizing and dominating, as if we own the rest of the world like property we should tend to better. I prefer to think of the rest of the world as our global neighbors who have their own yards.

[awryly]

It is interesting to see how few outside America can be bothered commenting on the American conundrum.

I imagine they see the American disease as a contagion best steered clear of.

[awryly]

post ctd..........
If he is to succeed, Americans need to discard their absurdly patriotic and histrionic notions of pro- and anti-Americanism - internally and externally. Most civilised societies don't even begin to think in those terms. They think in terms of a set of societal values that benefits all their citizens and provides a basis for credibility, respect and self-aware participation in international affairs - without the ballyhoo of being pro or anti this or that.

I think you can change. The success of the civil rights movement, though still incomplete, has shown that. But you have one hell of a long way to go.

[awryly]

As a New Zealander I have always found it hard to understand the divisiveness, self-centredness, hysteria and downright deceit and corruption that seem to mark much of American society. To many outside America, being anti-American seems the only sensible thing to be.

Obama is trying to bring a set of values that are dramatically different from those portrayed in your media and, fortunately, has the political capital and personal character to perhaps make them stick.

But he has an uphill job. America is essentially a vastly unequal society. It is riven by powerful interests that want to protect positions of power, money and ideology and, it seems, will do absolutely anything to achieve that - including embarking on unjust wars that serve their purposes. In a sense, you are fighting a civil war. And your media are one of the most enthusiastic protagonists.

In most civilised countries terror is imported - take the recent Somali/Lebanese incident in Australia. You people generate your own terrorism. Its weapons are different but the result is not dissimilar.

One of the things Obama is trying to do, in various ways - some substantive, some symbolic - is reduce the inequalities that split your society to its roots and force the split of America from the rest of the civilised world.

[Carl Caroli]

Wouldn't it be nice? Unfortunately. there's a national pride vested in the superiority of America, that the ignorant hang on to for dear life. It makes sense though - if everything I believe in is righteous, then I don't have to think anymore because everything I believe is righteous.... Sadly, American are not good at introspection. Admitting you may have made a mistake takes way to much humility and as GW showed, we'll have none of that, thank you. It's what causes the fall of great men and countries, but it feels good while your going down in flames. Just ask W.

[rollingyoda]

Dr. Chopra, you are indeed a welcome voice for those of us who still cherish the principles that gave birth to this country. May it be a quiet voice that continues to echo across this land. Until we end this Uncivil War we are waging amongst ourselves, how can we think to heal our economy, our bodies, our relationship with the rest of the world, or the planet itself?

[tugofpolitics]

Affirmative action is a color barrier. Free-markets currently don't exist and Obama is doing nothing to fix that. If by extended civil rights you mean things like homosexual adoption or homosexual marriage, fine, fair enough. But it should also include the free speech to criticize homosexuality in a non-violent way without fear of government persecution or being sent to city councils for zoning permits to protest on public property. Obama can start restoring civil liberties by rolling back the Patriot Act, the Military Commission Act, and the Anti-terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act brought on by his cronies Bush and Clinton. But he's not doing that either. Open immigration is a good thing because we all know overpopulation is a lie designed to introduce more government control. Hispanics traditionally "Americanize" easily and the more people we have the better. Obama can start being more progressive by bringing back our troops from the Korean DMZ, Berlin, Okinawa, Afghanistan, and Iraq. So far all he's talking about is Iraq and that hasn't happened yet.

I'd like to agree with you, Deepak Chopra, but I'm not seeing Obama as being pro anything except pro-banker and pro-globalist.

[jinsei]

Oh really? Obama wanted strings attached to the TARP money, namely, capping bonuses to a $500K max. Remember that? No? Of course not. Who passed the final bill? Oh, right, Congress. It was a compromised bill, but time was of the essence so Obama could not veto the bill.

[Einstein44]

Thank you so much Dr.Chopra.As always,you make us think.Thank you once more.

[alohadave13]

This is by far the most sound definition and approach to being "American" that I have ever read. I hope these brief inspiring points get more "air time" than just in this blog. Thank you Dr. Chopra.

[ringo3khan]

Interesting read. It's difficult to express where this seems to be going, but it seems that the New Americanism fully embraces the ideas that 1) anyone can claim to be one and 2) those who do so without having any long term ancestoral ties get to define the New Americanism and the so-called shared values. It's rather odd actually and it makes me wonder how people in China would feel reading articles written by recent Scandanavian or Bulgarian immigrants about what it is to be Chinese. But then again, that's probably a bad analogy because the Chinese are a "people", thus being "something" as opposed to being "nothing", they would doubtless rightfully scoff at the notion. And that's really what's happened in the U.S., a nation filled with humans without any commonly agreed shared values. All of which points to the fact that a nation without borders is a homeland to no one; rather, it more resembles a giant Bus Station of transients moving through it. And of course, in the din of noise amid the hustle and bustle of a bus station, it becomes impossible for anyone to effectivley communicate a "vision" if they had one. Therefore I'd have to conclude that the reality will continue to be simmering suspicion and anger toward each other and the Gov't which explains the anger expressed at the townhall meetings as reported by Congress members.

[prog]

The United States has only one indigenous group -- First Nations, Native Peoples, Aborigines, American Indians -- whatever they choose to label themselves. Everyone else is just an interloper, if we are going by a "Chinese Model" --- the only people who can write about America are Native Peoples. Certainly Anglo Saxons have no right to this voice if such be the case.

As far as I'm concerned, if you choose to become an American citizen, you are. Your nationality is now American. We are a nation of non-natives, some have just been here longer than others --- like many Hispanics, who have been here for 400 years, but are constantly told to "go back where they came from." Or Craig Ferguson, who's been a citizen for a year or two. Or Deepak Chopra who's been here for 40 years. Or that Chinese Lady on the bus who doesn't speak English and probably never will. All the same, and all Americans.

[prog]

The United States has only one indigenous group -- First Nations, Native Peoples, Aborigines, American Indians -- whatever they choose to label themselves. Everyone else is just an interloper, if we are going by a "Chinese Model" --- the only people who can write about America are Native Peoples. Certainly Anglo Saxons have no right to this voice if such be the case.

As far as I'm concerned, if you choose to become an American citizen, you are. Your nationality is now American. We are a nation of non-natives, some have just been here longer than others --- like many Hispanics, who have been here for 400 years, but are constantly told to "go back where they came from." Or Craig Ferguson, who's been a citizen for a year or two. Or Deepak Chopra who's been here for 40 years. Or that Chinese Lady on the bus who doesn't speak English and probably never will. All the same, and all Americans.

[kittyglitter]

I'm a Native American of the Caddo and Navajo nations. Personally, I'm getting really tired of this "if you weren't born here" nonsense from people with blue eyes and pink skin.

[MissterZip]

I have blue eyes and pink skin (well, SOME places) and I'm a "native" of "The people of the fire" (yes, I look more like my Irish Pa then my Potawatomi/French Ma) Remember, WE came over the Bering land bridge, albeit in the neighborhood of 16,000 years ago. But, little sister, I'm sick of it too and bet both of us would be EVEN MORE SO if we were around in the last 5 centuries and accepted gifts of blankets and what not...dig? If I thought there was 1, I'd say, "God help me I've been in so many fights and God help me, there's so MANY of them!" Now, so sick and tired of 'em (fights AND them) I've finally figured to show those folks love, and hope that thru their own shame, their consciousness changes (as mine did, thru love, shame and hope) Shame's not a well used behavior in these United States, unless 1's wrongs are found out of course and even THEN, here (the U.S o' A.) the finger usually points somewhere else. But, with hope and a patience I've rarely known, maybe we can help it along a bit. Come to Frisco we'll swallow refreshment and discuss all; honestly, there's not much more or more better in life.

[DownerCow]

Hey cousin! I have Metis heritage also. Mi' kmaq prayer:

Creator, open our hearts to peace and healing between all people.

Creator, open our hearts to provide and protect for all children of the earth.

Creator, open our hearts to respect for the earth, and all the gifts of the earth.

Creator, open our hearts to end exclusion, violence, and fear among all.

Thank-you for the gifts of this day and every day

[DownerCow]

Excellent post, albeit preaching to the choir in this forum. I think you are being too generous in calling the birthers 'xenophobic.' It is ugly racism, pure and simple. Otherwise why no outcry to Schwarzenegger's attempt to change the constitution so he can run for president?

[Einstein44]

Great point,DownerCow! Great point!!!