What Does It Mean to Love America? | The Ezra Klein Show

What do you does it mean What do you does it mean to love America to believe in it to to love America to believe in it to to love America to believe in it to choose it? It's kind of the wrong choose it? It's kind of the wrong choose it? It's kind of the wrong question do you love America? It feels question do you love America? It feels question do you love America? It feels like it's a question created like it's a question created like it's a question created as a sort of a kind of a litmus test. as a sort of a kind of a litmus test. as a sort of a kind of a litmus test. It's like asking which child do you love It's like asking which child do you love It's like asking which child do you love the most. We think that's an the most. We think that's an the most. We think that's an inappropriate inappropriate inappropriate question because we have an obligation, question because we have an obligation, question because we have an obligation, we have a responsibility to all of our we have a responsibility to all of our we have a responsibility to all of our children. I am an American and when I children. I am an American and when I children. I am an American and when I think about my forebears as much as I think about my forebears as much as I think about my forebears as much as I have been recently have been recently have been recently they have fought for me to be an they have fought for me to be an they have fought for me to be an American. Those 4 million black people American. Those 4 million black people American. Those 4 million black people who were emancipated after the Civil who were emancipated after the Civil who were emancipated after the Civil are some of the greatest Americans I can are some of the greatest Americans I can are some of the greatest Americans I can identify. identify. identify. Because they committed when it wasn't Because they committed when it wasn't Because they committed when it wasn't rational. rational. rational. They contributed when it wasn't They contributed when it wasn't They contributed when it wasn't appreciated. They persevered when they appreciated. They persevered when they appreciated. They persevered when they were being threatened and menaced. They were being threatened and menaced. They were being threatened and menaced. They continued to believe despite unspeakable continued to believe despite unspeakable continued to believe despite unspeakable abuse and cruelty. abuse and cruelty. abuse and cruelty. I think they're the greatest Americans. I think they're the greatest Americans. I think they're the greatest Americans. I'm not trying to rank Americans, but if I'm not trying to rank Americans, but if I'm not trying to rank Americans, but if you ask me to name some great Americans, you ask me to name some great Americans, you ask me to name some great Americans, I'm going to name the 4 million people I'm going to name the 4 million people I'm going to name the 4 million people who were emancipated who continued to who were emancipated who continued to who were emancipated who continued to fight. Just like I would name the people fight. Just like I would name the people fight. Just like I would name the people in this community in 1955 who committed in this community in 1955 who committed in this community in 1955 who committed themselves to staying off the buses.

themselves to staying off the buses. themselves to staying off the buses. They were great Americans. They were great Americans. They were great Americans. And so And so And so I want to be a great American, too. I want to be a great American, too. I want to be a great American, too. I want to be a great American I want to be a great American I want to be a great American like my enslaved forebears, like my enslaved forebears, like my enslaved forebears, like my grandparents who fled terror like my grandparents who fled terror like my grandparents who fled terror violence and fought for a better way, violence and fought for a better way, violence and fought for a better way, like my parents who dealt with the like my parents who dealt with the like my parents who dealt with the humiliation and degradation of humiliation and degradation of humiliation and degradation of segregation. It's not the only kind of segregation. It's not the only kind of segregation. It's not the only kind of American, American, American, but I want to be a great American. And but I want to be a great American. And but I want to be a great American. And so um so um so um my heart is in creating a world my heart is in creating a world my heart is in creating a world where that becomes easier and easier for where that becomes easier and easier for where that becomes easier and easier for more and more people. Because if I think more and more people. Because if I think more and more people. Because if I think about America, if I try to reduce it to about America, if I try to reduce it to about America, if I try to reduce it to something, something, something, it's a place for everybody who who want it's a place for everybody who who want it's a place for everybody who who want it better, who want who who believes in it better, who want who who believes in it better, who want who who believes in equality, who believes in justice, who equality, who believes in justice, who equality, who believes in justice, who believes in fairness, believes in fairness, believes in fairness, who believes in opportunity. That's the who believes in opportunity. That's the who believes in opportunity. That's the essence of it. essence of it. essence of it. And so, to get there, we have to do some And so, to get there, we have to do some And so, to get there, we have to do some work. And it's been going on for a long work. And it's been going on for a long work. And it's been going on for a long time. It will go on for a lot longer.

time. It will go on for a lot longer. time. It will go on for a lot longer. But that's what I want. Yeah, I want to But that's what I want. Yeah, I want to But that's what I want. Yeah, I want to be a great American in that tradition. be a great American in that tradition. be a great American in that tradition. >> That's a beautiful recasting of that. >> That's a beautiful recasting of that. >> That's a beautiful recasting of that. Not what does it mean to choose America, Not what does it mean to choose America, Not what does it mean to choose America, but what does it mean to choose to be but what does it mean to choose to be but what does it mean to choose to be >> Yeah. A great American. Yeah. >> Yeah. A great American. Yeah. >> Yeah. A great American. Yeah. Yeah.