A distinguishing characteristic of American nationhood has been that Americanism is a nationality based on shared political beliefs, rather than shared bloodlines.
This is not to say that all Americans have always been equal; many were oppressed because of the absurd belief that some ethnicities are better than others. But right next to this myth was another that began attracting European immigrants in large numbers. It was that “the streets are paved with gold,” meaning that opportunity was available to all, regardless of race or creed. Throughout American history, these two myths compete for dominance.
The melting pot model tends to give way to the racist model at times of crisis or rapid change. Racism has tended to accompany the rise of populist movements because populism is also a result of crisis and change, often crisis and change associated with economic dislocation. So, when the West, broadly speaking, witnesses a rise of populism for the first time in more than half a century—in Hungary, in America, Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Greece, it stands to reason that the economy is stagnating and that race and immigration will be a significant issue. But standing ready to supersede the racist myth is the one trumpeted in our Declaration of Independence: that all people are created equal, they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
"The History of Our Freedoms" is produced by KEDT-FM in Corpus Christi. Dr. Bill Chriss is a historian and legal scholar. For more on history and the constitution, check out his blog at https://drbillchriss.substack.com/.
