It is easy these days to dismiss America as a stereotypical caricature, but this would not be fair to American history, her glorious spirit, and the great achievements made by this nation through hard work and stubborn perseverance. It is true that even in the “good old days” the good traits of the American character coexisted with the proverbial ugliness, but for the sake of fairness we must not forget the beauty behind that ugliness.
The great American original--Teddy Roosevelt--speaks to the balance of the two contrasting qualities in the following memorable observation:
“From the very beginning our people have markedly combined practical capacity for affairs with power of devotion to an ideal. The lack of either quality would have rendered the possession of the other of small value.” (Theodore Roosevelt: Speech in Philadelphia, November 22, 1902.)
Less than a decade later, Woodrow Wilson seconds the motion:
“America is not a mere body of traders; it is a body of free men. Our greatness is built upon our freedom -- is moral, not material. We have a great ardor for gain; but we have a deep passion for the rights of man.” (Woodrow Wilson: Speech in New York City, December 6, 1911.)
Needless to say, I am in agreement with both of them, and in the next large segment of my American section I shall refer to America the Beautiful under the subsectional heading ‘The Spirit of 1776.’ I sincerely believe that the present-day’s frequent instances of inexcusable ugliness do not represent the true nature of America, but on the contrary a betrayal of that true nature. I will make this point quite clear as this section progresses.
The great American original--Teddy Roosevelt--speaks to the balance of the two contrasting qualities in the following memorable observation:
“From the very beginning our people have markedly combined practical capacity for affairs with power of devotion to an ideal. The lack of either quality would have rendered the possession of the other of small value.” (Theodore Roosevelt: Speech in Philadelphia, November 22, 1902.)
Less than a decade later, Woodrow Wilson seconds the motion:
“America is not a mere body of traders; it is a body of free men. Our greatness is built upon our freedom -- is moral, not material. We have a great ardor for gain; but we have a deep passion for the rights of man.” (Woodrow Wilson: Speech in New York City, December 6, 1911.)
Needless to say, I am in agreement with both of them, and in the next large segment of my American section I shall refer to America the Beautiful under the subsectional heading ‘The Spirit of 1776.’ I sincerely believe that the present-day’s frequent instances of inexcusable ugliness do not represent the true nature of America, but on the contrary a betrayal of that true nature. I will make this point quite clear as this section progresses.
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