America the Insecure....

Over on Norm Geras' blog, he is running a series of posts by Samuel Fleischacker on the I/P conflict. I suggest it to anybody as a finely constructed argument and generally very alluminating. However in the latest post, Samuel makes the following assertion -

'Nationalism' is the name of a kind of political ideology, and it's not a synonym for 'patriotism'. (The United States, where people trumpet their patriotism all the time, is not a nationalist country at all: in fact few people here understand the idea.) It is a distinctive view of politics, according to which a primary purpose of government is to express and maintain the culture of a particular group'

This is, to my mind, a false conclusion. America is deeply nationalistic. The rituals and symbols of the Nation are deeply ingrained within society and culture. Indeed nationalism as an ideology in America is so successful, it has no antithesis i.e. Liberal or Socialist Internationalism. Local identities such as the states themselves are given gravitas by proclaiming their (unique) deep rootedness within American tradition and the mythical essence of Americanism. The integration of the melting pot required on entrance the primacy of American identity and loyalty. This nationalism, proudly liberal, is at the core of much American self-perseption, from Isolationists, cutting off the new Jerusalem from the corruption and strife of the Old World to the prophets of America's global mission, spreading the blessings of Liberty to those beyond the pale.

To give a topically example and to further my own pet theory of (soft) social scission, recent annoucements from the GOP's presidental campaign and it's surrogates have made a classical nationalistic case. Nancy Pfotenhauer divined a gap between an increasingly democratic northern Virginia and 'real' Virginia, that is one that is solid McCain territory. Thus there is a false Virginia, polluted, and a real one, that remains pristine.

Sarah Palin has developed a ongoing narrative between this dictotomy of Real and false. She adds more texture. The real is made of small towns, is kind, faithful, independant and hard working. Whilst she is clever enough not to spell out the antithesis of this that logically includes large urban areas, they are deeply 'anti-american'.

Such 'anti-americanism' has been taken up by a obsure representative, Michele Bachmann, to colour not only Obama but the entire Democratic party as an un-part of the nation.

Notice the terms are vague, what consists Americanism, what are the lines of demarcation between good and bad, what is to be done with such deviants is left unclear. This, to be fair, is the sound of the culture war reaching its climax, it's logical end. Faced with a seemly certain collaspe of both their political power and public repudiation of their philosophy, Republicans have sought to raise the stakes. The terms by which they have are unmistakably Nationalist.

I am very pro-american. Jokes about the stupidity of 'em yanks erks me as much as the French Military victories one (VERDUN, AUSTERLITZ, ROCROI, you fucking idiots). However, I know that there is more to that great nation that some spiel about manifest destiny, rugged individualism and the cult of the Cowboy. America is not defined by one narrative, that of cod-theocracy and ruthless capitalism. It is too large and too dynamic. The Socialist party of the US was one of the largest working class movements in the world, just behind the German SDP, it encompassed a naive but still powerful dream of a free yeomanry and of community. American as a label is big enough for Bill O'Reilly and Eddie Vedder, Ann Coulter and Ani Difranco, Joe the Plumber and Ralph Stanley. My nation was not just Robert Peel, it was also Fergus O'Connor, it is not just Richard Littlejohn but Dave Osler. I submit with Nationalism, like all political ideologies and recreational drugs, moderation is everything

For some righteous mirth on the subject, please check out Jon Stewart's take on http://www.thedailyshow.com/ (go to videos and look for the 20th Oct show - One of his best)