MYTH AMERICA

 Myth America is a book of twenty chapters by different authors. 

CONTENTS

American Exceptionalism by David A.Bell

Founding Myths by Achille Reed Amar

Vanishing Indians by Ari Kerman

Immigration by Erika Lee

America First by Sarah Churchwell

The United States is an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr

The Border by Geraldo Cadava

American Socialism by Michael Kazin

The Magic of the Marketplace by Naomi Oreskes and Erik M Conway

The New Deal by Eric Rauchway

Confederate Monuments by Karen L Cox

The Southern Strategy by Kevin M Kruse

The Good Protest by Glenda Gilmore

White Backlash by Lawrence B Glickman

The Great Society by Joshua Zeitz

Police Violence by Elizabeth Hinton

Insurrection by Kathleen Belew

Family Value Feminism by Natalia Mehlman Petrzela

Reagan Revolution by Julian E Zelizer

Voter Fraud by Carol. Anderson

This book has been intriguing, albeit hard reading, because it captures the dichotomy that is so apparent in our nation and our world. It is difficult to have a majority reach a consensus far less a major majority. It seems that any idea proposed intended to benefit the public is disdained by so many. The authors of this book surely do justice to the issue.

While much of nation’s inconsistent political views are attributed to Trump, I remember that our national political unity was disturbed by President Reagan. I can recall in years before him when Senate votes on issues often resulted in a 98-2 count. Those were the days!

Our current sources of information are not shared. While I may read the Boston Globe, NY Times, Washington Post, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy and watch mostly CNN and ABC, others watch Fox News, including Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingram, use TikTok, Facebook and other media. The end result is a dichotomy. 

Admittedly, it appears that both sides are assured that they see reality very clearly. Reading these chapters pointed out how we who viewed positively the Affordable Care Act are challenged by efforts to discard the legislation in the name of reducing our national deficit. While I may think that it is important that the rich should be taxed far more than the average of 4% that is quite different from the times of President Roosevelt when the wealthy were taxed about 40%.

Clearly there is virtually nothing that achieves major agreement on national issues. Our nation is not unique. However, this book highlights the lies and disinformation that is often the source of so many of our problems.

Promoting the United States as exceptional depends on the criteria used. Newt Gingrich and Joseph Biden would agree that our nation is exceptional but surely their focus is quite different. Clearly, we are not unique. Iran may well consider their treatment of females as essential! The Philippines is also a nation of major discord.

While I am thankful for being an American, I am surely angered by the treatment of minorities. When you consider that even some believers in God cannot love others as though God shares the same discord! 

It is understandable that every nation should be supported by its population. However migrants fleeing into the United States come only because they cannot survive in their native nation. I want our congress to work together to develop controls of our border which as 7 February 2023 are now being promoted by President that will help these nations address their problems that precipitate so many to leave their nation.

America is exceptional in so many ways, but  we have much to do to remedy our problems. This book captures the problems. We have to consider efforts to promote more unity.