Summary of Deconstructing America - Essay Example

English, Essay Topic: Summary of "Deconstructing America" The article “Deconstructing America,” is from the book “Day of Reckoning: How Hubris, Ideology, and Greed are Tearing America Apart,” by Patrick J. Buchanan.(2007) In the beginning of the article, Buchanan raises the pertinent question, “Day of Reckoning is the best of the free life behind us now. Are the god times really over for good?”(255)The ground realities are different from the guiding principles enunciated by the founding fathers of America.

White settlers do not believe in the principles of Christian faith in actual practice. Buchanan thinks that America is not a cohesive nation. It is a nation without moorings, with no common heritage, no common language, and nothing to bind as a nation or as a cohesive cultural and social force. Respect for diversity is good, when it does not reach the extremes. There must be something tangible that holds American people together. Americans must develop the capacity to foresee the common good, not what is good from the viewpoints of Democrats and Republicans, according to Buchanan.

With the increasing diversity, America has become the “melting pot.” Buchanan forecasts a deteriorating social order and demise of the identity of the country in due course. “Melting pot,” is on the verge of becoming myth, and forces of diversity can cause problems within the nation and tear the nation apart, according to Buchanan. He does not like of diversity. According to him, more diversity means, inviting dangers to the unity and integrity of the country. This is in complete contrast to the popular viewpoint that diversity is very important to America as it gives the opportunity to learn from each other.

Religion, color and ethnicity are not the compartmentalizing forces. With imaginative and purposeful administration and by honest implementation of the laws, they can as well be the forces of unity and love between the communities. No immigrant will try to deconstruct the nation, as no one is interested in working against one’s own interest. Buchanan believes firmly that diversity will destroy America. He does not favor the state identity and advocates that national identity must supersede it for the survival of the country.

He strongly indicts those who take pride in asserting that America is a multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic, multilingual nation and therefore she is great. Buchanan argues, “Our day of reckoning is at hand. Time to mind our own business. Time to lay down the burden and come home. Time to put America first.”(263) He has no hesitation in coming to the conclusion that America is gone forever. He paints the picture with facts and figures of the immigrants during the last seven years from the Third World countries, of which more than half of it arrived illegally.

The nation of one-tenth minority is presently one-third minority. In California, Texas and most big cities of America, European-Americans are in minority. These factors are not going to unite America as a people according to Buchanan. Religion has never been the uniting force anywhere in the world, and Buchanan sees the grim scenario with the large influx of Muslims over the last forty years. Christian churches are breaking up with new issues related to morality cropping up. Language is another uniting force, but America has no common language.

The fastest growing radio and TV stations are Hispanic. Going by the examples of Europe and the Soviet Union, ethnic and linguistic diversity are pulling apart the countries. How then diversity is going to contribute to the integrity and well-being of America? The nation is witnessing deconstruction of America on many fronts, according to Buchanan. Works CitedBuchanan, Patrick J. Day of Reckoning: How Hubris, Ideology, and Greed Are Tearing America Apart.

Thomas Dunne Books; 2007