Thus far, the “nation” has been the largest cultural group with this sort of enduring attraction for its members. The defining traits that make up a nation can vary, but they usually include a common language, shared culture, a territorial origin, and a shared narrative about the collective past. Most importantly, a nation is a group of people that conceives of itself as constituting a unique community with a particular identity. In Benedict Anderson’s famous phrase, nations are “imagined communities” where total strangers nonetheless recognize and acknowledge each other as belonging to the same group. [emphasis in original]This clunky speech from President Trump at his July 4 campaign event at the Lincoln Memorial is a good example of reactionary nationalism. What it glorifies is the United States as being a special nation with emphasis on its military exploits. Including Trump recalling how the Continental Army seized and protected the airports during the Revolutionary War in the 18th century and confusing the Revolution and the War of 1812. He describes the US as "the most exceptional nation in the history of the world." (Because Trump got elected President?) And declares, "For Americans, nothing is impossible."
Watch President Donald Trump’s Full July 4th ‘Salute To America’ Military Event NBC News 07/04/2019:
He describes the westward expansion of the US, by recalling Lewis and Clark's "perilous expedition across an untamed continent" (my emphasis). "It drove others to journey west and stake out their claim on the wild frontier." Trump emphasized the wild. Because, you know, there were only Indian tribes living there.
He did add a saccharin line, "Devotion to our founding ideals led American patriots to abolish the evil of slavery, secure civil rights, and expand the blessings of liberty to all Americans." This from the President who in 2017 described a murderous mob of neo-Nazis in Charlottesville as containing "very fine people." And recently emphatically reaffirmed that judgment.
Later he mentions a few civil rights leaders among a list of various individuals he's honoring.
Note the all-white crowd behind him in that video.
From this speech, one might conclude that every scientific, medical and technological development and every since 1776 originated in the United States.
You would think he would be embarrassed to read off the lines, "We are proudly joined tonight by heroes from each and every branch of the US.Armed.Forces. ... They and thousands before us [sic] served with immense distinction and they loved every minute of that service." [my emphasis]
A line like "they loved every minute of that service" is classic militaristic idolatry. Or, better, chickenhawk idolatry. Because it's the fantasy of a little boy who has never even thought of losing a parent or a sibling in war, or who has never seen photos of soldiers who lost limbs, and who has no sense of the suffering of soldiers who come back from war with brain injuries or trauma from which some of them never recover psychologically and who wind up homeless or committing suicide. Only someone with no adult sense of what it means to send soldiers to war would ever talk that way, and certainly not in a formal public speech.
Cadet Bone Spurs followed that line immediately with, "To young Americans across our country, now is your chance to join our military and make a truly great statement in life. And you should do it."
He went on to pronounce mostly forgettable bombast about how glorious and powerful the US armed forces are.
The Guardian's David Smith describes Trump's event as "a militaristic, jingoistic and untraditional jamboree." He's right. (Donald Trump highlights US military strength in 4 July speech 07/05/2019)
At this writing, the only full transcript of the speech I've located is this one from a site called Factbase. Which is odd. I would have thought the White House website would have posted a transcript immediately.
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