Debbie Schlussel: How to Strengthen American Patriotism: Some Recommendations
Today's Detroit Free Press editorial page--normally extremely liberal pronouncements you can ignore--is all about the Bradley Project, funded by the Milwaukee-based conservative Lynde & Harry Bradley Foundation. The Bradley Project found that America is losing its national identity and makes some great recommendations on how to shore up our patriotism and common culture. I've posted those in a JPEG scan, below.
Here's the portion of the Freep editorial I thought was noteworthy:
In the Harris survey done for the Bradley Project, 89% of parents said "there's too much attention paid these days to what separates different ethnic and racial groups and not enough to what they have in common."Steve Hoffman, a consultant on the project, said some of the findings were surprising, including the areas of consensus that cut across racial and ethnic lines and the falloff in a sense of national identity among younger generations. For example, 45% of 18- to 34-year-olds believe international law should trump the U.S. Constitution where there is conflict between the two. . . .
"The good news," the report said, "is that 84% of the respondents still believe in a unique American identity. The bad news is that 63% believe this identity is weakening, and 72% are concerned about ethnic, cultural and political divisions. Almost a quarter -- 24% -- believe we are already so divided that a common national identity is impossible. In their minds, it is already too late."
The project makes the provocative assertion that "we are in danger of becoming not 'from many, one' -- E Pluribus Unum -- but its opposite, 'from one, many.' "
Perhaps that is what we want to be. But certainly it's not what George Washington had in mind when he said, in his farewell address: "Citizens by birth or choice, of common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism."
So, how do we fix this? Well, below are the Bradley Project's recommendations, most of which I think are worthy of meaningful pursuit (depending on how they are implemented and who is doing the implementing and teaching):
What would you add to these? How would you improve America's national identity and promote a stronger sense of patriotism to our country?
Posted by Debbie on July 4, 2008 04:45 PM to Debbie Schlussel