Borders, Language, Culture, and History

            Some years ago I listened to the Michael Savage, an outspoken talk radio host. He often spoke about “borders, language, and culture.”  Although I have not listened to him for several years, his comments on this subject still ring through my mind. He spoke about the importance of defining our nation with borders, insisting that immigrants learn to speak and write the English language, and the culture of America – or the “shining city upon a hill” as described by President Ronald Reagan.

            I was reminded again today of Savage’s words when I read some comments made by President Donald Trump when he addressed the American Legion’s 99^th National Convention. He spoke about patriotism and unity and recognized the veterans as the heroes they are. He also signed a bill that should help veterans receive help quicker. President Trump said the following.

Every veteran here today is part of a long, unbroken chain of American heroes…

You help keep history alive. History and culture, so important. You encourage the observance of patriotic holidays. … You stress the need to enforce our laws, including our immigration laws. You teach the responsibilities of citizenship and the importance of the Pledge of Allegiance. You do it all, as your motto says, for God and country. That’s why we’re here today, for America and for God….

It is time to heal the wounds that divide us, and to seek a new unity based on the common values that unite us.

            I believe that both Michael Savage and Donald Trump are correct in emphasizing the importance of borders, language, culture, and history. I also believe that the Left is trying to destroy the United States by opening our borders, inviting people into our nation who refuse to learn the language but want to change our culture, and attempting to destroy and/or change our history by lies and other means, such destruction of statues.

            Why are borders necessary? Kevin Li,University of California, Berkeley, explains that the borders in the “developed areas of Europe, North America, and East Asia” “represent cultural or linguistic divides that have been established for centuries.” These borders are more cultural than physical.

            Li reminds his readers that some borders mean next to nothing. When Africa, South Asia, South America, and the Middle East were colonized, the borders were put in place by political convenience and maybe by simply drawing straight lines. These borders put groups of people together who are of different ethnic or racial identities but separate other groups. Some obvious examples of political divisions are East and West Germany and North and South Korea.

            Why is a national language important? One needs look no further than the United States to recognize the need for a national language. The costs of doing business, at least in some areas of the nation, are increased because paperwork must be printed in multiple languages. If all immigrants were forced to learn American English, these costs would go away. Knowing several languages is a nice attribute and aids in communicating with people of other nations, but having many different languages spoken in a nation tends to make divisions among the people.

            Asim Nawas Abbassi of Pakistan explains that a national language “makes a country become respectable and unique” along with its boundary, name, flag, and currency. He says, “Indeed, a national language is a clear indicator that represents the national identity of a country…. National language is a driving force behind unity of the nation’s people, and makes them distinct from other nations….” He also says that “History proves that every great leader tried his best to strengthen the national language.”

            Why is the culture of a nation important? This article is about the importance of individual groups maintaining their culture – such as Alaska Natives, but it also explains what culture can do for a nation. “Culture is politics. There are few things that are as powerful as culture. Culture ensures unity during crisis, influences identity, debate and dialogue. It is important for nation building and for peace and reconciliation.”

            Why is it important for a nation to retain its history? There are numerous reasons why history is important to a nation. One of the most important reasons is to learn from it. George Santayana is credited with saying, “Those who cannot learn history are doomed to repeat it.”

            This article in its title explains that a national history is important because “A people cannot forever remain a people if they forget what it is that binds them.” The article continues.

There are few things more important to a nation’s sense of itself than an understanding of its own history. In fact, it might well be the most important thing of all. How the citizens of a country view that country and its place in the past can have profound consequences for the politics of that country or even, in extremis, its future existence.

            Knowing the importance of borders, language, culture, and history helps me to better understand why the Left wants to do away with all of them. In order to continue to be that “shining city upon a hill” and influence other nations, Americans must secure the borders of the nation, adopt a national language, preserve the American culture, and learn from our history.