There are two opposite preambles, that in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Abraham Lincoln and George Will say that America is based on a proposition, that all men are created equal. You are French if you are born in France, you are German if you are born in Germany, but you are an American if you accept the proposition. America, they say, is a propositional state.
Which is a little hard on those of us both sides of whose families were born here since before the Constitution or the Declaration was written. According to the propositional state idea, we were born stateless. Our right to be in America is based on a proposition.
I fit into “We the people of the United States of America and OUR posterity” but the concept of human equality strikes me as nutty.
So the world is full of Americans, but if this is a Propositional State, I have no right to be here. Foreigners who BELIEVE have that right.
In fact, “a nation of immigrants” would seem to exclude a bunch of natives.
Another question arises. Who is to JUDGE our right to be be here, and how often? Our right to be here depends on our loyalty to The Proposition, but all Propositions are the subject of interpretation. Who is to decide whether I accept The Proposition? I must accept it honestly, in its true meaning, and who is to decide what that true meaning is?
This is not a new situation. Adherence to the proper faith was required in Massachusetts. Jefferson listed as one of his major achievements the end of a relgious test for offices in Virginia. So we are going back to the days when citizenship was a matter of accepting a Proposition, a faith.
#1 by Simmons on 12/04/2006 - 1:01 pm
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Last gasps of any cult are loyalty tests and show trials. These are great days for us PC is the fatted hog and we are its butchers. We are soon to find our political leaders who will climb up the wall of PC and in their version of the mantra tell the world “Tear down this wall.” The first politically savy individuals who campaign directly against PC will have power that is nearly inconceivable to mind dead lumps like George Will.
#2 by Tom on 12/04/2006 - 4:08 pm
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A few days ago I launched an extended campaign and almost every immigration post that comes up I’ve used the mantra, and in some others managed spread the idea of the two preambles. Now this is a group that will pick any little thing out that they disagree with and use it against you, call you a kook etc. not one post has been criticized.
Consent though silence.
#3 by Pain on 12/04/2006 - 11:40 pm
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“You are French if you are born in France, you are German if you are born in Germany,”
No NO!
You are French if your born of Frenchies and German if born of Germans.
Sorry, I’m irked.
If WHERE you are born is WHO you are, then you are still a proposition — something made up in some pencil-neck’s head.
#4 by Bob on 12/05/2006 - 1:30 pm
Pain, I was quoting George Will.
#5 by Shari on 12/05/2006 - 3:49 pm
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My maternal Grandmother’s people, like Bob’s went back to before the declaration or constitution were written. The rest of my ancesters came from like places as hers originally did. Places like Cornwall, Scotland, Germany, the Isle of Man. They just came later. So, I’m stuck, if I’m not American what the hedoubletoothoothpick can I be? And I don’t accept propositions!