Quick quiz. Name the four MAIN underlying causes of World War I. Answer: Militarism. Alliances, Imperialism and, of course, the dreaded Nationalism. There were other causes, too, but these ones make a neat acronym that should guide you to at least a B if the topic appears on an essay question. Be sure to end with nationalism because it packs a powerful punch!
Of all the dangers history students learn about, nationalism ranks near the top of the list. Citizens whipped into a frenzy of national pride can be a dangerous bunch. Think Hitler’s Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and Hirohito’s Japan. But not all forms of nationalism are created equal. American nationalism is a breed apart and should be encouraged rather than vilified.
Why? Let’s begin by examining the word nationalism. At the most basic level it means identification with one’s nation and support for its interests. Nationalism should not be taken out of context and evaluated without regard to the core identity of a particular country. The American identity is not based on racial, ethnic or religious superiority — or even homogeneity. When someone says they are proud to be an American they are identifying with a particular human right and aspiration — freedom.
Take a moment to cue up Lee Greenwood in your head: “And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free . . . .”
Or summon the iconic words in 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 unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” All of the stated rights are dimensions of freedom: I have the right to live, the right to be free, and the right to seek happiness. It’s the freedom, stupid.
The focus on individual freedom renders the American form of nationalism something of a paradox. When Americans get passionate or emotional around national identity, they are not unifying in a collective purpose that subsumes individual agency. They are celebrating a mission to protect the freedom of the individual against denigrations of human rights and dignity by those who hold the levers of centralized power. When we see the American flag and reflexively think “Freedom” we are glorying in the power of individuals to resist domination by tyrants both petty and powerful.
Our original national motto might be, “E pluribus unum,” but the one idea that unites the many can be expressed colloquially as, “Hey, it’s a free country!”
Lately there has been an effort by the Left to raise public alarm over the rise of something they call “Christian Nationalism.” This is scaremongering nonsense. The Bill of Rights makes plain that the United States has no role in establishing or inhibiting the free exercise of religion. It’s called religious freedom, a critical component of America’s larger ethos of liberty. And Christianity in America has served to reinforce individual freedom and bring out the better angels of America’s nature. The abolitionist movement is the most obvious example of Christianity acting as the conscience of America, calling upon it to live up to its ideals of human dignity and freedom.
Radical leftists pushing for a new conception of national identity behold the American flag with the same affection as a vampire wincing at the sunrise. They cannot embrace the flag because they do not believe in freedom as the nation’s great cause, Mandates, lockdowns and reparations replaced life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness on their agenda. The radical left is indeed anti-American.
The Covid-19 pandemic mounted a challenge to American national identity unlike any other in our history. It surfaced a sizable activist contingent that would be happy to sacrifice cherished individual freedoms on the altar of an elusive collective good. That is why it is important for Americans of good will to continue rallying around the flag and swelling with pride that we are part of nation, unlike any other in history, defined by our commitment to the cause of human freedom.