Who Built America?

One constant refrain that we hear from the Far Right is that they've built America. No they didn't. America had all sorts of contributors. The Chinese built America's railroads. Jews and atheists dominate its science, which is at the root of most of what business sells. The Hindus, minority religions and agnostics dominate its computer industry, which was the true source of 1980s and 1990s prosperity.

As for America's best parts, they were built by Democratic-voting constituencies. San Francisco, New York and Seattle are vastly Democratic and are the best places in the country. America owes a lot to Democrats, and it is important to remind people of that as many tend to forget.

Then there's the claim that the right-wingers are true Americans. No they aren't. America is not the same thing as Waco, TX or Tulsa, OK. America is a huge and diverse country full of all sorts of people, and the greater contributors tend to vote Democratic. This includes its scientists, its teachers, its high-tech professionals, its creative people, and these days even many among its businesspeople.

On the Right, we are seeing the "money talks, BS walks" people also claiming themselves to be righteous Christians. For the life of me I do not see how these ideologies combine at all. There is some similarity here with Spanish conquistadors, who believed that God, Crown and gold were the same thing. Regardless, this is not an ideology that has any business claiming to speak for America, and it is likewise important that people be reminded of such things from time to time, as many tend to forget.

Simply, it is ridiculous that this group be claiming to speak for America or consider themselves more American than the next person. The people on the Left work just as hard as do the people on the Right and do as much, if not more, for America. And that too is something which needs to be stated from time to time, as many tend to forget.