"The American People are like no other in the world"

[dburkhead]

Posted by a friend of mine on another forum:

True. The American people are like no other in this world.

Oz may have similar key foundation such as at least partial origin as a penal colony, but it’s influence has been and is still largely monolithically British.

The U.S. started out with a strong British influence, but the conflicting British, French and Spanish claims very early – plus the mixed European immigration early-on – shaped the fact that there were *multiple* cultural referents. I don’t think there is *any* other nation or polity that *embraced* the multicultural roots and *blended* them (rather than Balkanizing them).

The initial influx of colonists left Europe in the aftermath of religious conflict – in which the *politicians* fought for the right to tell the peasants how to worship. Many came to America to protect the right to select their own religion, and thus were too individualistic for Europe. Too, the original colonists were escaping from countries where they were poor, prisoners, oppressed, or simply bored. America was a frontier to be conquered – and it *was* conquered in a manner that cannot be said of Africa, S. America or Australia. America was conquered by individualists, not corporations, the Crown or political groups. Where Companies were predominant (Railroad, Hudson’s Bay, etc.) they were led by individuals who had made their fortune and now paid others to continue the efforts.

Since the national wake-up call on Dec. 7, 1941, we have grown complacent. In many ways the struggle stopped immediately after WWII, and the next generation rebelled. The 1950’s weren’t perfect, but they were *comfortable* and the frontier element of society was split between enjoying their reward and looking for a new challenge. For the first time there were generations that had it so much *easier* than the prior generation, that they had enough money and leisure to look around and find other causes.

All of this is buried in the American psyche. The 60’s radicals that rebelled against “The Administration” now *are* “The Administration” but even *that* group is divided – the ones that wanted genuine change *do* include conservatives and independents that *still* do not trust the System. The rebels that shilled for destructive organizations that wanted then and now to *punish* America for its success have taken control and underestimated the resolve of the common people.

Citizens of other countries – with the possible exception of Canada – do not truly understand the attitude of Americans to the rest of the world. We see the rest of the world as whiners that always come to us for help, but don’t appreciate the help we give. In writing the Declaration of Independence and Consitution, America rejected monarchy and aristocracy – rejected the idea that some people *should* rule simply by virtue of royal or elite birth. To our mindset, the old European aristocracy is/was decandent and morally bankrupt, and kept getting *US* into wars:

Consider: French/Indian War was instigated by the French, but directly involved U.S. expansion into Indian territory. War of 1812 was largely instigated by British attempts to recover America – not to mention a particular Frenchman of short stature. U.S. Civil war was an internal struggle, but European powers (notably British and French) took sides. Spanish-American and Mexican wars *were* propagated by America. These preceding wars were our growing pains and built the national identity.

Now look at the 20th century wars: WW1 did not touch American soil – we entered at the behest of Europe. WW2 did not touch American soil after Pearl Harbor. Our involvement in the embargos that led Japan to attack were at least in part a response to Japanese threat against allied colonies (Britain again). The European war theater of WW2 did not touch American soil – we entered at the behest of Europe. We inherited the initial phases of the Vietnam war from the French, and the Korean War from the U.N. Policy of “containment” aside, the four key wars of the middle 20th century are seen as the U.S. coming to the battlefield at someone else’s request due to treaty and ally responsibilities. This latter is important – following the end of WW2, the world was divvied up into American and Soviet spheres, when the Soviets turned imperialistic, American countered. Of course, the Soviets saw it the other way, but the U.S. had treaty obligations to protect allies, not to mention U.N. mandate. Operation Desert Storm was of mixed provenance – Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were allies, we had armed Saddam against the Ayatollah, and there was considerable guilt as well as interests of our own to protect. However, given that a *minority* of our petroleum imports come from the Persian Gulf region – how was this a war about protecting U.S. oil interests?

America became policeman and savior. Tsunamis, Earthquakes, fire, flood, famine – U.S. sends aid – often the first to arrive (and BTW it’s the *military* that provide first-response relief).

So – America was founded by individualists that rejected (or seriously modified) European cultures and attitudes. We are not a monolithic culture and no longer derive our identity strictly from one parent country. We spent four centuries inventing, developing, conquering our frontier, and then most of a century being everyone’s Sugar Daddy. And citizens of other countries wonder why we don’t give a flying leap what they think?

So now we have leaders that want to turn us back into decadent, socialist Europe.

Like .... we will.