A Review of 'Who Are We?'

Samuel Huntington's "Who are we?" took a while to finish. Its language was

distinct from most of my readings so far. Jargons from social sciences and

politics, subjects for which I had cared little, slowed me down. Thankfully, big

words did not mean sloppy writing. The professor was concise and to the point.

There were just much to say as the book cited results from study after study to

prove its points.

 

This was the first time I noticed the word "Protestant" in its basic and

definining sense, simply a protester! The early settlers felt that protesting

against Rome and the Roman Catholic Church was not enough and they had to

renounce Canterbury and the Church of England, too.

 

But what was contested? The book did not delve into the details. The Web would

have too much to say but it is safe to assume that the rub have to do with

oppressive heirachies. The antagonism could come directly from Matthew 25-27

(NLT):

 

    You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and

    officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it

    will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your

    servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave.

    For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to   

    give his life as a ransom for many.

 

It reminded me of my college days when China was opening to the world and the

people were, after decades, again exposed to Western cultures. I had a lot

of choices but, for no particular reason, I recited the Gettysburg Address

and Lincoln's Second Inaugural speech and was drawn to "the proposition that

all men are created equal." 30 years later, I learnt from Huntington that

the idea was part of the "American Creed" which rooted deeply in the

Anglo-Protestant culture that gave birth to the U.S.A.

 

In his twilight years, the author must have felt desperate at the events

undermining the American identity that had united the hearts and souls of

the people since WWII. Globalization and denationalization of the elites,

multi-culturalism and a bifurcating trend due to hispanicization, etc., must

have disturbed him much and he made the following conclusion on page 199

    

    Without a major war requiring substantial mobilization and lasting years,

    however, contemporary immigrants will have neither the opportunity nor the

    need to affirm their identity with and their loyalty to America as earlier

    immigrants have done.

 

Overall, "Who are we?" discusses topics important to the new wave of immigrants,

those coming after 1965. It presents the language, the history, food for

thought, and compelling perspectives on local and world events. For us, the

Chinese-American diaspora, it should be compulsory reading. I definitely will

revisit.

[7grizzly]

回复 '暖冬cool夏' 的评论 : Thank you, 暖冬, for reading and your comments.

For me, the question of loyalty becomes clear when I think about posterity.

[暖冬cool夏]

"Without a major war requiring substantial mobilization and lasting years, however, contemporary immigrants will have neither the opportunity nor the need to affirm their identity with and their loyalty to America as earlier immigrants have done."-- Very interesting and thought-provoking. So we only need to be loyal to ourselves, following our own hearts:))