What Unites Us: Reflections on Patriotism

by Dan Rather

Who knows? I might get the call to strap on a spacesuit. That, of course, didn’t happen. And more broadly—and importantly—most of the predictions for piloted spaceflight never came true. The timeline for a trip to Mars still stretches onward with its own uncertain horizon. Our national will has changed. We seem to find money for tax cuts for the wealthy and foreign wars, but not enough for the exploration of space.

It will come as no surprise to those who have worked with me that one of my favorite words is “steady.” It is the word I reached for when I had heard that President Kennedy had been shot. It was the word that I cautioned the world to heed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as we were recoiling in a state of shock and horror. Many times I felt anxiety closing in, when my heartbeat quickened and my world began to wobble, and I repeated to myself, “Steady.”

Roosevelt went on to link the action of that moment in history with the American tradition of resolve in the face of crisis. He called this fear “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.” President Roosevelt’s steadiness gave the nation the confidence it needed to overcome the twin challenges of economic hardship and war.

Some may argue, and with merit, that ours is inherently a conservative system of government, one that has prevented rapid progress on a host of important issues. Unlike a parliamentary system, in which the leader of the executive branch derives his or her support from the legislature, we often have divided government with different political parties controlling the presidency and Congress. This can often stymie big actions. Whether one thinks that is a good thing or not, it usually depends on whether those in power align with your political views.

The pendulum of our great nation seems to have swung toward conceit and unsteadiness once again, but it is in our power to wrest it back. Our government is there to serve us, not the other way around.

Ultimately, democracy is an action more than a belief. The people’s voice, your voice, must be heard for it to have an effect. Currently, many hurdles diminish the power of our collective speech, such as how we finance campaigns, our discriminatory voting laws, and the preferred place of moneyed interests in Washington.

I have learned that there are no easy answers or fail-proof plans of action. But since our system of government is one of representative democracy, the power of the vote must be paramount. And with recent elections we have seen the importance of enfranchisement reaffirmed. Essential to change is making sure that you vote, and get others to do so. To amplify the vote, we must also volunteer in political movements, knock on doors, encourage and enable others to join in the electoral process.

will not surrender the word “citizenship” to those who use it as a tool for disenfranchisement and division or who wish to return us to a mythic past when the rights of citizenship were unevenly granted.

Citizenship is not merely a collection of conferred rights but a compact with each other to work for the well-being of all, to engage with our civic institutions, to support our schools, the democratic process, and the health of our environment. It must be based on more than the geographic accident of one’s birth. Being a citizen of the United States confers a great set of advantages about which we should feel humble. I seek a sense of citizenship that transcends geography, gender, class, race, religion, and sexual orientation. It must be as open to the newest additions to our American family as it is to those whose family tree was planted here generations ago.

Ultimately, heroic citizenship must be rooted in the possible. And that means it must manifest itself in almost infinite forms of expression. None of us is alike. We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately it is that diversity that provides the strongest glue that can hold this nation together.

whether we are artists, scientists, soldiers, journalists, teachers, caregivers, nurses, farmers, mechanics, foster parents, friends in times of need, or really anyone who puts energy, heart, and mind into helping others, we have within ourselves the power to be heroic in service to our country. And by doing so, we will help answer the question of what unites us.