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“I Believe in America.”

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Bob Brescia
November 16, 2018

Introduction

In the opening scene of the 1972 blockbuster film, The Godfather, Italian immigrant Amerigo Bonasera presents himself to Don Vito Corleone to ask for justice for his daughter who was attacked and seriously injured by two boys. The script reads:

Bonasera: “I believe in America. America has made my fortune.”

Like Mr. Bonasera, we must all learn and re-learn to believe in America. A recent phenomenon is threatening our nation – mob violence.

Mob Violence – Ideo-Threatening

This year we have been treated to far too many episodes of malfeasant behaviors by what can only be described as ideological mobs. If you join others at the front door of a politician, television show host or other personality and issue threatening chants, you are part of a mob. I call this un-American behavior, “ideo-threatening.”

A recent mob incident was described in a November 8 USA Today online news report:

An Antifa angry mob gathered outside of Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson’s home on Wednesday evening. The anti-fascists group, possibly associated with Smash Racism D.C., chanted “Tucker Carlson, we will fight. We know where you sleep at night” outside of Carlson’s Washington home, according to Fox News. Carlson’s wife, Susie, was home alone at the time. He told Fox she locked herself into a pantry and called police. The host of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” said the group broke his oak door and one person mentioned a pipe bomb, as heard on a security video. They continued their rant with, “Every night you spread fear into homes — we remind you that you are not safe either”

This behavior is extremely un-American and we cannot tolerate it any further. Not only is ideo-threatening a form of assault, it is reminiscent of early-1930s Nazi Party Germany during the rise of Hitler. Everyday Germans were pressured through propaganda to persecute those who thought and believed differently than the ideology promulgated by the National Socialist Party. The Antifa or anti-Fascist protestors of our times are therefore acting similarly to the people they claim to be fighting against.

The New Americanism

What can we do to combat this dangerous and violent anti-American trend? For starters, we can raise up our voices against it in our neighborhoods and wherever possible. We can be very vocal about the values that we support – and mob violence is not one of them. We can work with our legislators to provide legal remedies for ideo-threatening. Mob mentality might be expected in trouble spots throughout the world but here in America we have and respect the rule of law. It’s what saves our system from ruin. We must not allow ignorant and violent mobs to drag us down to the behavior prevalent in many lesser nations. We can revive and support Americanism in our times. It could be considered as the New Americanism but it is based on American values that we have lived by for hundreds of years. These values include, but certainly are not limited to: unity, truth, passion, perseverance, benevolence, leadership, optimism, courage, spirituality, community, inclusion, love and civility.

These values emerge spontaneously during periods of national strife and conflict. They recede when Americans become complacent and detached from the spirit and intent of our founders. In the late 1960s, television show host David Frost talked about what it means to be an American:

David Frost: What is the essence of being American really? Are there any essentially American Characteristics?

Ronald Reagan: I think there is a generosity inherent in the American people. I think there’s also kind of a pioneer of the American. Tell us where we’re supposed to be and we’ll get there. This, I think, is an American characteristic. There’s a third one, and this is probably the least understood in foreign countries when Americans are tourists. I think Americans are kind of like puppy dogs. They love everybody and they can’t understand why everybody doesn’t love them, so when they go visiting some other country, they want to walk up, knock on the door, and stick out their hand and say, “Hello, I’m Joe Smith from Arkansas”.

Conclusion

Our best days are the present moment and the days ahead. As the New York Yankee slugger Babe Ruth was fond of saying, “You don’t win today’s ball games with yesterday’s home runs.” As Americans, we are justifiably proud of our past and it’s crucial that we teach that history to our youth but we rely on the greatness of today and tomorrow to serve as the bridge to exceptionalism in our future. We want our children and grandchildren to inherit opportunity. We want to pass along traditions, principles, values, and the history that made us who we are today. We want to restore America – a New Americanism that includes every legal immigrant, every citizen, and every visitor in its splendor. We must not be afraid of the mantle of greatness. It was in some ways thrust upon us, but it must be achieved and re-achieved constantly. We, all of the living American generations, are definitely up to the task.


Author: Bob Brescia serves EO of STEM Software – a leading Artificial Intelligence (Ai) software provider in the Oil & Gas industry. His latest as President & C book is Destination Greatness – Creating a New Americanism. Bob has a doctoral degree with distinction in Executive Leadership from The George Washington University. He also serves as Chairman of the Board at Basin PBS – West Texas public television. Please contact him at [email protected] or Twitter: @Robert_Brescia.

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3 Responses to “I Believe in America.”

  1. Brenda Norman Reply

    November 25, 2018 at 8:06 pm

    I know Dr Brescia and have respect for his knowledge and the wisdom with which he shares this knowledge. He is a great patriot and a darn good person.

    GM Cox – thank you for your remarks. It is truly amazing how many of those who preach tolerance and diversity practice neither.

    Mr. Moore – thank you for your comments also. Many atrocities have been committed in the name of law, beliefs, and religion. I don’t think it is fair to attack Dr. Brescia for past historical events. I do think it is fair to say that a future America that is better than what we currently have is a dream, but a dream that is achievable if we will foster respect for all. Respect and tolerance not just for those who agree with us, but, as Dr. Brecia said, for ” every legal immigrant, every citizen, and every visitor.” I am not proud of my intolerance sometimes; but at least I see it for what it is and know that I need to work on it. Isn’t it said that recognizing the problem is half the battle?

  2. GM Cox Reply

    November 16, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Interestingly, many of the Saul Alinsky mindset see nothing wrong with this “in your face” demonstrating even at a person’s home. The left or more liberal ideologues like to believe that they are the party of tolerance when in fact it is the party of protest, intimidation and threats. However, all done in the name of “freedom” and against anarchist or whatever.

    We need to relearn what it means to be civil, to have civil discourse. To disagree without demonization. The interact without altercation. J. S. Mill suggested in his essay, On Liberty, he who knows only his side of the argument, knows very little of it.”

  3. Darrell Moore Reply

    November 16, 2018 at 2:54 pm

    Yeah, okay, here’s the thing. Mob violence has been a part of the American scene since the Boston Massacre. I think Mr. Brescia is longing for an America that is more dreamlike than reality. Where were people like him when alleged offenders were being pulled from jail cells and lynched by angry mobs in a most vicious fashion (and this included women and children)with no perpetrators of these acts ever brought to justice. A lot of times these mobs were whipped into a frenzy by some local leader or politician speaking it up and condoning these types of behaviors. I call this – “if I can’t get my way, then to heck with the rule of law; I’m going to do it anyway” syndrome.

    I’d like to see his America also, but man, we would sure have to cut through a lot of history to get us to that point.

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