Proud to be an American?

In a recent ethics class one of the student presentations had been about Injustice and the State, and the discussion, naturally, slid over into torture and state-sponsored terrorism. As usual then, at least for those who know me even the slightest bit, at the end of the presentation Teacher held forth on the unacceptable-ness (an Aikenesque neologism) of State involvement in committing acts of injustice, and especially on the subject of America’s participation in such activities… complete with the usual, “We (i.e., Americans) should be better than that!,” and all—the whole enchilada. So it caught me a bit short when, on the way out at the end of class, a student asked me if I were still proud to be an American.

            I admit—the question took me by surprise. At first, looking at her a bit askance and askew as is my teacherly (another A-n) wont when unsure about whether I am being mocked, I could not decide whether or not she was being facetious with her question, as I had been cranking rather unambiguously on the U.S. critique-machine; so, frankly, irony could certainly have been in her mind. Even now I am undecided about whether the student intended to serve up a cold portion of irony with this question.

            At any rate, what she got from me in response was still my philosophical stock in trade answer – I am only proud of things when I actually have personal merit or involvement. As an erstwhile disciple of that old Stoic Slave-Master, Epictetus, there can be no other possible answer to such a question than his:

6. “Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own. […] What, then, is your own? Only your reaction to the appearances of things. Thus, when you behave conformably to nature in reaction to how things appear, you will be proud with reason; for you will take pride in some good of your own.”

Or again:

44. … These reasonings are connected: "I am richer than you, therefore my property is greater than yours;" "I am more eloquent than you, therefore my style is better than yours." But you, after all, are neither property nor style (as rendered by Ms. Carter on the MIT site).”

So the simple, and philosophically correct answer to my student’s question is that no, I am not in the least proud of some “condition” over which I had no control. My birthright is neither “mine” nor my “possession” in any normal or meaningful sense of that word, so it would be philosophically inappropriate for me to make it a subject of my pride. It is this same Stoic common-sensical (yet another A-n) critique that also makes social constructs such as {Patriotism + Pride=American value} so patently and philosophically meaningless.

            Being proud of where I am born is akin to being proud of having naturally curly hair or good skin… these are not personal “accomplishments” that demonstrate any particular character on my part. So one who is proud, or not proud, or who has any strong opinion whatsoever about where he is born, is exactly like the little mole who wanted to know who did a poo on his head, and who then proceeded to walk around beshat (beshatten? beshitten? beshyted?) for the entire duration of his investigation. What is frankly important here is not whose business it is, but what I personally do(o) about it now that I am besplattered. So let us choose to be different from our little molish friend, and, by asking the correct questions up front, try to draw out the best possible conclusions. Chances are much better that we will act well if we begin our quest by thinking well.

Answer by List. Perhaps there are other philosophical considerations relevant to my student’s question. How might it be meaningful to make the connection between personal and individual pride and the fact of being the fruit of American loins? This reflection then is an endorsement of no American party or of any candidate, but rather of a value – Justice.

·      In my generation it was trendy not to be proud of America’s involvement in Vietnam, for all the various and sundry reasons; it therefore stood to reason that I was not proud to be an American in that season, because it seemed to mean that I was implicated and therefore complicit in America’s Asian involvement.

            However, I was distinctly proud of the fact that individual Americans, including my younger self, would take to the streets to protest that war– I was proud to engage my thought, and my time, and my energy in the real-life working out of a people’s democracy.

·      I was not proud to be an American in the era of U.S. segregationist policies; but I was distinctly proud of the moment in America’s history when she was able to get beyond the issue of color in order to see the man—because I actively supported that transition into social justice in my political choices, and because, although racism is far from dead in America, I personally continue to refuse to allow racist opinions of all the ilks (gender, color, nationality, etc.,) to influence my thinking and my actions.

·      According to Human Rights Watch, America seems to have an active policy of putting its convicted youth in solitary confinement. So, while I have to admit that I have known some pretty rowdy and even out-of-control young people in my time, this particular American philosophe is not proud that he hales from a modern western 1^st world country that locks up its troubled young people in solitary confinement. If someone in prison needs medical or psychological attention, it would seem reasonable that we Americans could and should find a more appropriate manner that addresses these problems, which would include a whole range of professional approaches and solutions.

            This America does not make me proud; but the fact that I can actively and loudly join my critical voice to that of the people at Human Rights Watch makes me proud, because it gives me the opportunity to play a role, no matter how small, in creating an America that is good and just.

·      Also according to the HRW, America got away with torture during the Bush Administration (2001-2008). This was a violation of both US and international law, not to speak of the U.S. Army Field Manual (since 1956 until its revision in 2006 under the Bush Administration); but to address all the arguments relevant to torture and our need for intelligence in one fell swoop—at the end of the day it does not even matter whether or not torture “works” in getting that all-too-important intelligence we keep hearing about. It is ILLEGAL, a violation of American constitutional law, and therefore we Americans should not be practicing it. I am not proud of America’s renegade conduct in this matter.

            By the way, the science is in – torture should be out, unless we are just absolutely dead-set on creating the next generation of terrorists by means of our own state-sanctioned terrorist conduct. On the other hand, if America should wish to practice torture, then it should follow the legal and political channels of American democracy to have torture voted into law and ourselves voted to be taken out of the U.N. This is how the people work in a democracy.

            However, because this step toward the legalization of torture has not yet occurred in the U.S., I am therefore delighted that this current President decided that America and her president should act within the confines of the U.S. Constitution, as well as in agreement with the treaties the U.S. has signed with the United Nations; and I am proud that I cast my vote on the side of a man of this character that values Justice, who still has a vision of America that reflects the America I have known in my life. So nix to Gitmo and torture—almost…

·      There are approximately 196 countries in the world, and, in theory, we all, each and every one, individually as well as nationally, at least pay lip-service to the idea of Justice in the world. I am proud to be of this number. Also, I know of no one, personally, who has ever convincingly made the case that we humans should not strive for Justice.

            Of these 196 nations in our world, 193 are members of the United Nations. I am proud to say that America is of this (latter) number, and that I have also played my part by teaching students the importance of justice and civilized conduct in our relationships, both close to home and beyond our shores.

·      However, in publishing its 2012 Facts and Figures, Amnesty International supplies a corrective to my rose-colored understanding of America’s engagement for Justice in the international community, because the country of my birth is plainly playing a non-supportive role in the theater of global justice. I am not proud of this side of America. The International Criminal Court (ICC) was founded in 2002 with the following transnational statement of value: “The investigation and prosecution of international crimes—including genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes—is a fundamental component of transitional justice.”

            To date, 121 nations of the world have signed up to the ICC; simple math tells me that 75 have not, which includes the United States. It would seem that on the question of International Justice the U.S. is playing keep-up-with-the-Joneses with North Korea and Somalia, two bad boys of the world’s most repressive societies. Sheesch… Even Uganda, of Idi Amin fame, and Nigeria, perhaps the most historically corrupt country on the planet, are signatories to the ICC. I am not proud of this American fact.

            According to the Internet-God on this question, the Clinton Administration signed the original Rome Statute in 2000, but failed to submit the treaty to the U.S. Senate for ratification; and the Bush Administration, again according to the above source, made quite clear that the U.S. would not join the ICC. For these two facts I am not proud, because this does not reflect the justice I value for America and for the world community of nations.

            However, I am proud that the current American Administration has reestablished a working relationship with the ICC. My pride about this comes from the fact that I have not only taught my students about Justice, but that I have also worked together with other people who value justice to choose this current President as the representative of an America of Justice.

            It is when we support just men and just women that we create Justice in our world.

While we all may hope that God might bless these United States of America, per the Greenwood song, you and I, My Fellow Americans, must still not fail in our day job—which is to create everyday in our own personal actions an America where, in Dr. King’s words, “justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”