Being an American. It’s more than simply existing at a location, or a set of parents, a collection of advantages, or even hatreds for received insults. It’s a concept, an experiment, and a revulsion at the old ways of governing and conducting the entire business of running a society. It’s a responsibility for understanding, honoring, and implementing our underlying principles.
The most important of those principles is mutual respect for diversity of religion. We may have strong opinions on matters concerning the divine, but we should remember that which led to the formation of this Nation, the incredibly strong emotions evidenced in France, in Spain, and, most importantly for this nation, in England1, in the matters of which version of Christianity should be followed. We need to remember the mistrust, the terrible hatreds, the killings, the burnings – all between nominally Christian people.
When our forefathers came together to design the new government and society, one of their gravest concerns was to avoid such abhorrent disturbances in civil society, and to that end they designed a government which insensitive to the delicate matters of religion: a secular government, not permitted to favor or despise any particular sect.
It was a new path to follow, and it has served us well – when we’ve honored it. But as a principle, it’s also a test of us – are we good Americans? Do we understand the hows and whys of this wonderful principle?
Tonight, in the wake of the grim tragedy in San Bernardino, CA, I will name three people who are alike in their abject failure to pass this test, their lack of understanding of the importance of this principle in our success – and how this has created failure at the most fundamental parts of their lives. Two have cemented their failure, their unworthiness, beyond all redemption, by committing final atrocities against their fellows: Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik. They, like white supremacists, slavers, and various others who hate their fellow man for trivial reasons, condemn themselves. Little more need to be said for these criminals.
But such accusations need not be leveled at out and out criminals, and in that vein, I believe Donald Trump also fails this most basic tests of being an American. He calls for suspicion of Americans, born and naturalized, of a certain flavor of religiosity, his words inflame the opinions of those who listen him to unjust, intemperate actions, and then he tries to defend himself with mere implications, not facts. For a citizen who wishes to lay claim to the lead position in the Nation, he needs to be an embodiment of the principles we enshrine and follow in hopes of a peaceful, successful society; his abandonment of this principle, thrust aside as if it were some superfluous undershirt, unnecessary as he digs that ditch, very much clarifies his unworthiness to assume the Presidency.
This American test. It’s a hard one. Thrusting away the distrust, the fear, it’s quite against fundamental nature to hug that neighbor from across the street, across the cultural divide, across the divine abyss. Yet, that’s what Americans, at their best, do. And it’s something Mr. Trump has yet to learn to do.
