Some despise a truly American America

Syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts, Jr. recently wrote off President Trump's supporters as uniformly biased and without reasons to advocate for the commander in chief save for the foul animus Pitts insultingly imagines swells our hearts.

http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/leonard-pitts-jr/article211963789.html

In a silly and feckless attempt to substantiate his slur. the columnist shared several emails he had allegedly received. All dripped with venomous, un-American racism and contained numerous misspellings. 

Of course, even were they authentic, a handful of hate notes hardly represents the more than 60 million of us who championed the Trump campaign. 

Besides, anyone of any persuasion can locate a few nasty online messages. Doing so establishes nothing save for the senders' unpleasantness and the rebroadcaster's argumentative frailty.

Pitts also defended his earlier declaration that communication with Trump voters is fruitless and beneath him.

Of course, Pitts was wrong. Americans should maintain conversations on issues that impact all of us. By hearing disparate perspectives, we can expand our understanding of experiences not our own and reach more fully representative, fair, and accurate views. 

We citizens are all in this together, after all. But Pitts would divide us from each other, segregating compatriots in hostile camps.

Philosophical disagreement, no matter how heated or profound, is not legitimate cause for isolation or considering all of different opinions dreaded Others (to borrow a voguish Left-speak term).

The following italicized paragraphs come from a recent essay of mine; they are apropos, here:

I listened as my mother remembered the American mood during WWII. The robust sense of national identity, the plucky 'We're all in this, together' spirit that impelled home-front efforts like rationing and scrap metal drives that made possible our eventual triumph over fascism.

Americans then were proud of this nation, and proud to be citizens of it. I found myself wishing much more for a return to such 'We are one' patriotism than for the utopian vision of globalism.

Regardless of demographic differences, Americans of that era saluted Old Glory, honored the National Anthem, and were contemptuous of all within or without our borders who meant harm to us and our national sovereignty.

Faith that the indivisible America of my mother's recollections should again rise, and mature reconsideration of my rosy-dory misjudgments, led me to conclude that change was only logical...

I became a Trump supporter in 2016 and wrote essays promoting his candidacy in numerous Iowa newspapers and online venues. I caucused for him in February 2017, and that November joined the tens of millions of Americans who surged to general election polling places nationwide to buoy him and our America First movement to Pennsylvania Avenue.

As his unfortunate end neared, civil libertarian columnist Nat Hentoff, for decades a promoter of Democrats and outspoken on issues like freedom of speech, racial equality, and defendants' rights, wrote that he was inclined to cast ballots in favor of Republican presidential candidates over Democrat ones. 

He reasoned the former was more likely to protect the Constitution whose guarantees he'd long advocated, whereas the latter seemed increasingly radical and set on shredding its important guarantees.

When Donald Trump -- first as candidate, then duly elected president -- pledged that together we would 'Make America Great Again,' those of us siding with him understood exactly what he meant. 

Economy: The United States was once an economic powerhouse. Steady employment was common, as were home ownership and "Made in the USA" assurances. Citizens generally didn't want for productive occupation, good paychecks, and the secure feeling that their nation was strong, their futures secure. 

We wanted that back.

Military strength and readiness. "The Yanks are coming," assured George M. Cohen's WWI-era classic. "And we won't come back, 'til it's over, Over There!" In recent years, US fighting forces were so decimated, their mission so sidetracked by social-engineering fads, that foreign enemies weren't concerned about 'The Yanks are coming." 

They again are.

Constitutional principles: These had been under attack by Democrats and their street-riotous footsoldiers. Traditionally supported by classical liberals, guarantees to untrammeled speech (even that which others might find disagreeable) and defendants'  rights (including to the presumption of innocence) enjoyed new and resounding advocacy.

We're bringing back Jeffersonian belief that Constitutional rights are God-given and inviolable. 

National sovereignty: America is not an ethereal ideal subject to alterations as befit shifting generational fancies. Our country is a physical place, with founding principles and an enduring Constitution whose precepts are deeply engraved. It is perfectly legitimate for any country to establish citizenship standards and maintain borders.  

We insist only on that same sensible authority. 

Pitts and those of his ilk would shame opponents with the nasty fiction that paying attention to legitimate matters like national sovereignty and cultural character is of a piece with unAmerican racial hatred. For political advantage and seemingly unencumbered by decent conscience, they attempt to surfboard toward power atop the long-past suffering of others. 

But their dirty trick no longer works. America is back.