Are You a Real American?

There's nothing new about Republicans claiming that a significant portion of their fellow citizens are somehow not "real" Americans. It was a familiar refrain when this cartoon ran in 2002 (earning me a denunciation as a sneering elitist from noted populist Ann Coulter, who I believe has a homestead out on the prairie somewhere). But this sort of talk is generally left to the Limbaughs and Hannitys, the front line combatants in this ideological war conservatives have declared on the rest of us. This year, we've got candidates for high office adopting the routine, openly declaring that those of us who do not live in small towns or rural areas are not "real" citizens. That's 80% of the country's population, according to the last U.S. Census.

Tom Tomorrow's newest full color compilation, The Future's so Bright, I Can't Bear to Look, has just been released from Nation Books.

Comments

[Michale32086]

LibThyNameIsIrony

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He talks a good game that Obama fellow. Have you seen any of that inclusiveness yet? Didn't think so.
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I wonder if you can appreciate the utter irony of your post.. :D

Michale...­..

[MajorKong]

The only "Real America" is Loving County, Texas. Population 67. Anyone else is a latte sipping urbanite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_County

[feo]

A real American would never drink any sort of coffee, since none of it grown here. Only Pepsi.

[rmwarnick]

It's often been pointed out that al-Qaeda attacked New York and Washington D.C., somehow failing to target "real" America except for an unplanned near miss on Shanksville, PA.

[ExPatNLforObama]

I am not a real American and have never felt like one thus I escaped in 1989 and live back in country of birth. I returned my US passport because I have the best passport in the world , a European one that gets me to any country on earth without hassles. Try that with an American passport.

I became naturalized US citizen in 1962 but in fact its worthless,­,,,,,,,,,,­,,,did 10 years in USAF including getting shot at in Vietnam for a year. Saw so many lies in my lifetime that you couldn't pay me enough to every move back to the USA. However, I still vote every 4 years hoping that someday America becomes a modern up to date country. Meanwhile, I am already living a a real modern country with intelligent people. Its GREAT.

[boomer1949]

1. If you left of your own free will, that was your choice.
2. If your country of birth is so real and so modern, stay there.
3. Renounce your US citizenship, stop voting.
4. That would be GREAT!

[ExPatNLforObama]

Take a hike....I will do what I want.

[larry278]

To be 100% American-you must hate everything & everybody. That's why your cell is padded.

[LibThyNameIsIrony]

Then move...eas­y stuff

[shivadas]

I just don't "get" why the "real" America doesn't pay its own bills, I mean it is the "un-American" areas that fund 90% of this country.

[burpgun]

Sounds like the real Americans are Bush and Cheney and , of course, John McCain! Unfortunately, I am a Christian that believes the Constitution was written by the founding Fathers who did , in fact, believe in an all powerful Deity that was above the 9 Supreme Court Judges and even the President and Vice-President of the United States! I actually believe that this Deity blessed America and built a hedge around it to protect it from the evil that seeks to destroy us. I find it interesting indeed, that the moral leader of the free world has lost its own morality and its vitue and strength as a Nation as well! The Powers that be want no competition from the Deity that this Nation professes to believe in and are doing their best to remove His Name, Word, and Promises from the USA and we are now a divided Nation, in a divided world, and have nothing to bring us together again,,,,Not good!

[bakersdozen]

Wait, what? A HEDGE?

[hartkid]

A fence like growth of shrubbery. I am Roger, the Shrubber. I design, arrange and sell shrubberies. What sad times are these when political ruffians can eschew the One All Powerful Diety and turn their backs on HIM, HIS Word, etc. I am of course referring to Satan. A bit of advice, Praise HIM and hasten to make HIM your MASTER.

[Gib]

Say what??

[scrutiny1]

Sounds like somebody graduated from the Palin Institute of Logic.

[ProgressiveInAZ]

Please tell your deity that his hedge fund is in the toilet.
The founding fathers made it absolutely clear that religion and politics should not mix.
We are divided because there are too many religious idiots trying to force their views down others throats.
The only evil are people who refuse to live and let live and have the need to control others. That goes for extremists of all stripes. Christian, Muslim, Zionist, etc.

[feo]

When do you think your all powerful diety will get around to helping cripples, people born with birth defects and growing new limbs for our soldiers who lost them fighting in Reckless George's War? C'mon all powerful diety, show us your good stuff!

[magen]

We un-American NYC'ers who had to deal with 9/11 (has it been trademarked by Guiliani or the RNC yet?) would loooooooove for McSame/Failin (policies) to come and honor us with their presence and do an appearance at ground zero and try to spout their cr@p about pro and anti- American places.

[wingnutslayer]

How about being concerned with being good humans because I have no idea anymore what a good or bad American is. I know that good humans don't make up reasons to go to war or make bombs to kill other humans, whether they're from America or the Middle East. I know that good humans don't commit the acts that will end up destroying many lives that the Wall Streeters, bankers and politicians have. Maybe good Americans do, but good humans don't.

[Michale32086]

@ tuttlemsm

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If this viewpoint is so representative of the American people....

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/todays-polls-1023-mccain-on-life.html

...why are they rejecting it en masse?
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I never made any such claims..

I am an Obama supporter so I really don't care what McCain or Palin says or doesn't say..

Michale...­..

[3y3kwah]

Michale...

Why do you waste your time? You spew right wing hatred as easily as a popped fire hydrant spews water in the summertime.

I think the comic above makes a very salient point that the Republicans in this country are very willing to burn the constitution and denigrate all those who are not like-minded in pursuit of their goals. Currently, all they seem to do on the campaign trail is call out fellow Americans as treasonous, and traitorous. They call themselves real Americans, while implying that Democrats and Liberal-leaning independents are somehow not real Americans. Republicans rhetoric is constantly divisive, and no matter how many times someone professes "I'm a uniter, not a divider," it does not make it so.

On the other hand, Barack Obama has constantly stumped about being inclusive. About how there are no red states and no blue states but only the United States. How he wants to be a president who works for all Americans, not just those who agree with him, not just those who voted him into office. I can see why Michale is so angry all the time. He is waking up to the fact that Republicans can't frighten the American People into blindly voting for them anymore.

[LibThyNameIsIrony]

He talks a good game that Obama fellow. Have you seen any of that inclusiveness yet? Didn't think so.

[cdawson65]

Tom Tomorrow has been so entertaining and just so darn RIGHT for so long. He was a necessary dose of cynicism long before public opinion turned against President Bush and his many, many misguided attempts at "policy".

http://c-dawson.blogspot.com/

[Smurfysax]

This stuff makes me sick to my stomach

I don't see how anyone can call themselves christian and use the low life tactics these people or using. In my opinion they are after power and if they ever obtained the power they seek, we would all be in hell. Talk about religious persecution, let conservatives control the government and anyone that doesn't agree with their views can forget about freedom. It's over!!!

The truth is, this country is more than black and white, rich and poor, gay and straight. We are one human family, the only difference is skin color. Take a sample of blood from any human being and you can't differentiate one race from another etc... Take a blood same from any species of animal and you can differentiate one from the other. That should tell us something about the human race. We are divided by our own self interests and some people or hell bent on "being on top" at all cause.

This presidency is far bigger than Obama and McCain, Democrat and Republican, Left and Right, etc... It has more to do with moving beyond prejudice, remembering the past but forgiving injustice, moving America to a higher plateau, demonstrating to the world that we've matured as a country. If Barrack does not win this struggle, it will be a sad day for the world.

[Michale32086]

@OkieIntellectual

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Okay first off, it's either Mr. Spock or Commander Spock, he was never a Captain.
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You need to brush up on your Trek... From Star Trek II on, Spock was a Captain.. Until he became an Ambassador­... Incidentally, Scotty also was a Captain... Just in case you didn't know...

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Second, explain to me how the "Left" is running an "Ends Justifies The Means" campaign
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I am referring to the HUNDREDS of posts here on HuffPo & elsewhere, encouraging Senator Obama to get into the mud and fight like Republicans do.. I am referring to the MANY statements whereas it was stated that the ONLY thing that matters is winning the White House & ANY done in pursuit of that goal is justified.­..

How is that NOT an "Ends Justifies The Means" mentality??

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Normally I don't respond to trolls like you, but seriously dude,
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Normally, I don't respond to those who post immature & childish personal attacks, but your Star Trek gaffe was too easy to pass up...

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ran a completely dishonorable campaign that smacks of immaturity & a serious lack of grasp on the real issues facing the nation.
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That's your opinion which may or may not be accurate..

So, the solution to this is to have Obama run a MORE dishonorable campaign???

Apologies to Mr Tomorrow.. I wasn't intending to run off on the ENDS JUSTIFIES THE MEANS tangent.. I don't know how I got the concept mixed up with

[milo h minderbinder]

I still don't see what this has to do with the cartoon?

Still lost? Or are you just going to plop down for a random argument any old place?

[JRsNana]

This is what this person does. Argue ANY and EVERY point made by anyone. This person is only on this site to create discourse. Read all their previous posts and you'll get the drift. It's a total and complete waste of your time and energy to reply. Even if you totally agreed with him/her you'd get a fight.

[Gib]

Very strange.

[Michale32086]

@milo_h_mi­nderbinder

Yea, it looks like I mixed up two different threads.. My bust..

@jmkilburn

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Do you then agree that there are 'real' Americans and, I don't know, 'less-real' Americans?
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Absolutely not.. I DO believe that there are Americans who take MORE to heart the best interests of their country and there are Americans who take MUCH LESS to heart the bests interests of their country.. Make of that what you will...

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Does a difference of political opinion somehow make one less American?
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Depends on the opinion, no???

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Does your "right set of circumstances" include having my fingernails pulled out, or merely waterboarded?
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Probably not, but I am willing elaborate if you are willing to answer...

Michale...­..

[tuttlemsm]

If this viewpoint is so representative of the American people....

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/todays-polls-1023-mccain-on-life.html

...why are they rejecting it en masse?