Heritage Americanism: DEI for Nationalists

Dear Reader (especially you cat people who are about to gain 20 dependents),

For reasons that have to do with an elaborate system of pneumatic tubes under the surface of Indiana, I have to keep this “news”letter short and light. So let’s jump right in.

I am not the sort of person to compliment Vivek Ramaswamy, but I think he had a very good piece in the New York Times this week. He was addressing the growing popularity on the Very Online right of the concept of Heritage Americans. The basic idea: The farther back you can trace your ancestry here in America, the more American you are. The Very Online right-wingers even have charts grading your Americanness. 

Now, I’ve written a bunch about this before, and I am sure I will again at greater length. But I just want to make a couple of points.

First, if you keep it out of the realm of politics, and don’t put that sounds-better-in-original-German stink on it, I have no problem with the idea of being proud of your American lineage. What’s to object to?

But that’s not what most of the Heritage American chest thumpers are doing. They want to insinuate that having a family tree in America that goes back to the Mayflower or the founding makes you more of an American. My problem with this is that the real point of this crap is to suggest that other people—immigrants, Jooz, Asian Americans, etc.—are less American. 

I don’t love Charles de Gaulle’s explanation of the difference between nationalism and patriotism. But in this context, I think it applies somewhat. “Patriotism,” he said, “is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.” 

The best defense of this Heritage American stuff tends to be made by people who don’t really traffic in this stuff themselves (to their credit), but they want to make room for the argument that America, and nationality generally, is more than just an “idea.” I asked Michael Brendan Dougherty what the political salience of this talk is, and he replied in part, the “acknowledgement that nationality is a multigenerational project, and that our creeds are embodied in folkways, intuitions, and ways of life to which we are habituated, might inform your immigration policy.” 

I am sympathetic to that argument. Indeed, I made a related argument in Suicide of the West. America is a liberal democratic country in part because of our legal and constitutional framework, but also because liberal democracy is inherently part of our culture and is embedded in our institutions and customs at a very deep level. I think the wisdom of importing large numbers of immigrants hostile to that culture is a legitimate subject for debate. As a matter of law, we ask would-be legal immigrants if they are Communists. It is not outlandish to me to inquire about other commitments that are at odds with the American creed and Constitution.

But this cuts two ways. A lot of the groypers and fellow travelers who push this Heritage American junk love to peddle ideas that are just as contrary to the American creed and Constitution. Nick Fuentes has said he wants America to be run by a Catholic Taliban or some such. (By the way, how many Fuenteses were on the Mayflower?) Moreover, many of the people most committed to the American Way are themselves immigrants or the children of immigrants—that’s why they moved here. When I think of my friends, among the people most passionately and eruditely committed to the idea of America, they are top-heavy with such people. Charles Cooke might be the biggest American superfan I know. Yuval Levin (born in Israel) is a close second. Ramesh Ponnuru—who is from Kansas, but his parents are from India— knows more about America and what it stands for than all of the groypers combined.

A lot of the Heritage American-pushers—J.D. Vance, Sen. Eric Schmitt, et al—will argue that their core point is to push back on the idea that America is “just an idea.” They almost always use this as a strawman argument rather than deal with the real point of that phrase. But they are right insofar as America is not just an idea. But it is—and was—in significant respects the product of an idea, or bundle of ideas. But America is also a people with a culture. And a central part of that culture is, well, the idea that you can become an American by embracing those ideas. 

What bothers me about the argument that America is not an idea is that those people think America is an idea, too. It’s just that their idea of America is that Americanness is a function of your heritage alone. They claim to be rejecting abstract concepts and categories, but that argument is built on abstract concepts and categories, too. And those abstract concepts and categories are actually hard to defend. But that’s not their aim. Their aim is to borrow the logic of left-wing identity politics and simply assert that their opinions and agendas are more legitimate solely because of an accident of birth. 

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, had a big announcement yesterday. From her X account:

Two things really stand out for me. First is the claim that the current board is “highly respected.” I mean, in fairness, some people on the board are respected, even highly respected. Lee Greenwood’s legit. But most of the board is a collection of MAGA toadies, Trump remoras, and apparatchiks (Sergio Gor, Susie Wiles and her stepmother Cheri Summerall, Laura Ingraham, Richard Grenell, Maria Bartiromo, et al.) or the wives of his donors. In other words, they’re sort of like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new vaccine advisory panel, but for the arts. 

Speaking of Kennedys, the second thing that really stands out is Leavitt’s generous “congratulations to President Kennedy.” I won’t weigh in on the question of where President Kennedy is now—theological and moral opinions vary—but the suggestion that JFK and DJT are now a team raises all sorts of questions. And the idea that Kennedy will be (or would be) excited to be dropped to second billing strikes me as contestable.

Sometimes I like to run a little thought experiment. When Donald Trump does something controversial, preposterous, weird, stupid, selfish, or embarrassing, I like to imagine I predicted it a year ago. Then I like to think about the people who would accuse me of being ridiculous, hysterical, paranoid, and, of course, exhibiting Trump Derangement Syndrome by even suggesting he might do something so absurd.

If I had said Trump would do this a year ago, I am sure I would have received that kind of flak. Then again, if I predicted that he would pardon a huge narco-trafficker because he sent Trump a flattering letter or if I had prophesied that he would out-neocon all (alleged) neocons by pushing a policy of lawless regime change in Venezuela, or drench the White House in gold, or announce human combat spectacles on the White House lawn to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding … or, well, you get the point. 

Canine Update: The girls are doing just fine. Though Zoë is developing a really amusing late-in-life attitude of … bemusement with the spaniel and a desire for more lapdog time with me. She still maintains her vigilance. Indeed, the other morning we were out for a very cold and very dark early morning sortie. A deer popped out of the treeline and scared Pippa, but Zoë ran in to chase the crepuscular ungulate away. She was proud of herself (and her halo). The moment it gets warm enough, Gracie starts yelling at me to get her some of that sweet, sweet hose water. Appeasement continues.

Member Name: Shawn Tayler

Why I’m a Dispatch Member: I was a regular reader/listener to Jonah when he was hanging out at National Review. He mentioned he was starting this new thing with some guy named Steve Something-or-another called The Dispatch. Sounded interesting, bought a membership, and upgraded to Lifetime as soon as I could afford it.

Personal Details: Retired Radio Guy, public safety and broadcast; geopolitics junkie. Also Service Human (Do Not Pet) for Amber.

Pet’s Breed: Siberian Husky (mostly)

Gotcha Story: I was recently retired and newly separated. A friend was pestering me to get a dog. Finally went to a local shelter and in comes this little cutie who sits down and puts her nose in my face. Found the dog!

Pet’s Likes: Meeting people, other dogs and horses (even the occasional cat) plus treats of most any kind. Making puppy dog eyes while I’m eating, looking for a snack.

Pet’s Dislikes: Rabbits and squirrels (rats with good PR) and also birds (rats with wings). Also she hates coyotes.

Pet’s Proudest Moment: We live on a couple acres that back up to BLM (Bureau of Land Mis-Management) land so we get a fair amount of wildlife. One morning, three coyotes came charging in from the sagebrush. Amber is running toward the open door into the house. I meet her at the door, she immediately turns and goes after the coyotes who had seen me and turned as well. I was able to get her to stop and return. She spent the rest of the morning pacing, almost strutting back and forth waiting for them to try again.

A Moment Someone (Wrongly) Accused Pet of Being Bad: A neighbor lost a couple chickens and accused Amber of pilfering. Amber was not around or loose that day, and it turned out to be our local coyotes.

Do you have a quadruped you’d like to nominate for Dispawtcher of the Week and catapult to stardom? Let us know about your pet by clicking here. Reminder: You must be a Dispatch member to participate.

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