What unites Americans as a single people?

I have never met an American that likes shrimp paste.....

 

Im not an intellectual or even highly educated but I believe America has gone through many building periods that have bound us as a country and americans. It started with seeking freedom from tyranny and the subsequent war for that that freedom and then the building of the country through massive immigration. Then the industrial revolution and industrial family. Wars that americans felt were righteous like our saving Europe and defeating Nazi Germany and Japan that made us fierce patriots.
I believe all that is behind us and now we as americans do have a culture and over the 200+ years the younger generations have a sense of country. Politics will always rage and we will always have our lines in the sand, but when push comes to shove we always manage to bind.

 

I agree with this! The binding agent I believe the inherit right to be who you are, believe what you want, and respect those for the most part that may even disagree. We come from all different backgrounds, economic backgrounds but we all love what America stands for. For me it is the sacrifices made by those who have gone before us in making this country possible. The drive, thought and appreciation for individual freedom of all connects us. We do come together as a huge dysfunctional family! From state to state, each different in culture, but appreciate their freedom! That has always been our bond!

 

We'll never be united as a single people so long as obama the greatest divider remains in office. Not until we get another Reagan as POTUS with his winning 49 out of 50 states will America once again be united. Its impossible to be united with a far left socialist at the potus helm.

 

Their hatred for whomever is in power.... lol

 

What unites Americans as a single people? If you're asking what unites conservatives and liberals the answer is: nothing whatsoever.

In fact if the South had successfully seceeded during the Civil War there isn't a doubt in my mind that they would have sided with Hitler during WW II. Conservatives of the day LOVED Hitler. They saw his as a great alternative to Stalin. And with them at his side the Nazis would have won. As it is fascism won even though Hitler lost.

In fact Hitler made a couple of relevant comments. When people attacked him about his treatment of the Jewish and other "undesirable people" Hitler pointed out that everything he did came straight out of US history. More specifically the way conservatives treated the "Indians" and the blacks. And he said that it didn't matter if the Nazis won or lost the war because he had won the minds and hearts of his enemies children. And damned if the "me generation" (aka baby boomers) didn't go and prove him right. Fortunately that generation of spoiled brats is dying off. Hopefully the human race will manage to survive their stupidity.

BTW contrary to the idea of blue states and red states (see 2004 Presidential election maps) all states are actually purple. That is each and every state has some red (Republican) districts and some blue (Democratic) districts. The division actually brakes down by population. The areas that are red are rural and suburban. The areas that are blue are more urban. The people in the cities have learned to work together to achieve common goals. Those in the country think they do everything themselves. Even though the people who live in the country are much more likely to be receiving government money. We never should have paved their roads or given them electricity. Let them drive 40 miles on dirt roads if they want their mail.

 

Which Americans would those be? The ones who demand free healthcare and schooling?

 

I don't admit it because it is not true. The national "collective" is a tyranny of the masses that has usurped the natural law via insensate mobbery, all while thrusting us into every stupid war imaginable. The politicians will give the idiot masses whatever they want, so long as those selfsame politicians get to decide how its handed out. The collective is dragging us down into the oblivion of unchecked and ignorant democracy, something the Founders tried hardily to avoid. That is why the Chief Justice approved Obamacare. He was basically admitting that we are not a nation of laws but of men. Whatever the people want, they can demand of their government, and there really is no conception of how perverted that notion is anymore because of incremental erosions to the original American ideal of socioeconomic independence and decentralization.

 

Good one.

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It sounds good; I'll have some, if you please.

 

Free schooling would be a prime example of equality of opportunity.

The day a high school diploma no longer got you a job, is the day college should have become a right for every American.

Personally I believe if you can't pay for the HC service you need, you should die, but I seem to be part of a minority that actually believes in a free market solution to the HC issue.

 

That's right, Boo! You tell 'em.

 

Consumerism.

As long as people are encouraged to work from paycheck to paycheck to buy more stuff -- it keeps the machine going.

 

Assume for the sake of argument you are correct. How long can consumerism be sustained?

 

Our undying hatred and contempt for each other.

 

....and everybody hated the last right wing representative too....now what??

 

That's a good question. Usually, it can only be sustained until people notice that their standard of living has fallen more than its worth being part of the machine.

 

Fear, hatred, and aggression seem to work well enough.

 

Our generousity...

 

Until Rome finally burns down.

 

Thank you for an equally good answer.

 

Those characteristics are ephemeral, and only work to unite people only when there is a foreign bogeyman against whom the fear, hatred and aggression can be directed. There are no longer any foreign bogeymen against whom Americans can unite. Under these circumstances those characteristics are corrosive to the unity of the body politic.

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You are a very junior member of this forum. Get a couple of thousand posts under your belt and approach me again.

 

Consumerism is intellectual bankruptcy, so it fits the US nicely.

 

Lying, cheating, being ignorant, and arrogant, at the same time?

Looking up to mass murder?

Making money their god, but rarely having much?

 

The people who fight over politics (such as us here) are in the minority.

I think the American people are united. It's just not easy to see until something causes us to see it.

Remember when 911 happened? For that short time afterward, everybody had American flags on their front porches, people stopped arguing about politics, and we all supported the President.

Sometimes the worst things bring out the best.

 

Raving about guns, and liking morons like Alex Jones and Jesse Ventura?