Viva La English!
Published in Marietta (GA) Daily Journal,3/25/18
Long
before the expression “American exceptionalism” came into use, Frenchman Alexis
de Tocqueville explored the concept and ended up touting the advantages America
had over the Old World.
In
his 1835 masterpiece, “Democracy in America,” Tocqueville not only described
our 48-year-old nation. He celebrated it. Struck by its political structure, freedom,
and individualism, Tocqueville wrote, “The American is the Englishman left to
himself.”
The
French nobleman was implying that although England was advancing as a
democratic nation, she was not as “boundless free” as the rugged Americans. She was, however, the possessor of a spirit
of freedom that would soon mark every corner of the globe that was
English-speaking.
At
the time, England was changing socially.
Two years before Tocqueville’s masterpiece was published, Britain
abolished slavery throughout the Empire.
As far back as 1807 Britain had abolished the slave trade. Observing and making copious notes during his
nine-month tour across fledgling America, Tocqueville dubbed the new land
“British America.” He admired what he
saw.
Look
at a map of the world. Notice that the
English-speaking nations are the ones that are devoted to freedom, law, and
individual rights. What’s going on? No
doubt the same thing that was going on in the mind of Churchill when in 1956 he
completed his four-volume work titled “History of the English Speaking People.” To Churchill, speakers of English had a
manifest destiny.
Please,
dear reader, spare us of any instant conclusion that Churchill, or Tocqueville,
or this writer is bigoted or “nationalistic.”
What’s wrong with having a nation (borders, language, and culture)
anyway? Again, look at a map of the
world, or a history or linguistics book.
From the beloved Alfred the Great (849-899), whose language was
“Angle-ish,” to Chaucer (1340-1400), who popularized the peasant language, to
Shakespeare (1564-1616), who made it most quotable and quoted, to the silver
tongue of Churchill, the trail of
English has led to the trumpeting of freedom.
The
world’s most cosmopolitan language, English now belongs virtually to everyone. Sprung from an island nation about the size
of Alabama, English was spread chiefly by British navies of the 17th
through 19th centuries and American soldiers of the 20th.
We
seldom think of how significant is the language each of us speaks. It is French that makes a Frenchman a
Frenchman and English that makes an Englishman an Englishman. We speakers of “American English” have
abandoned many of the customs from the motherland of our language, but we
haven’t abandoned the chief characteristics of the Anglo-sphere, those noted by
Tocqueville in America: churches, private organizations, charitable giving,
localism, a strong belief in equality before the law, and an exceptional legal
system which, incidentally, exists in most English-speaking nations of the
world today.
Precisely
what has contributed to this phenomenon, this fact that the English-speaking
world is freer and typically more advanced?
Is it isolation that has enabled such nations to live as they wish,
absent the influence of close bordering nations? Australia is a continental island
nation. New Zealand is an island. America is bordered and in large measure
protected by two great oceans. Canada is
stretched far to the north, seemingly unbothered by the flow of geo-politics.
Is
it the Christian faith that fostered love of neighbor, good will, and honest
labor? Consider the impact of English translations
of the Bible found in these nations. Would
free enterprise have anything to do with it?
Whatever
we may attribute the phenomenon to, it’s clear that in regard to the amount of
freedom and to standard of living, the English-speaking nations of the world
have led the way.
When
President Obama was asked if he believed in American exceptionalism, he
replied, “I believe in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect the Brits
believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek
exceptionalism.” In other words,
“No.” If everybody is exceptional,
nobody is exceptional.
Fifty-six
years ago at a small high school in little Forest, Mississippi, stellar
teachers and excellent coaches and administrators taught, required, and modeled
excellence. Friday assemblies showcased
the exceptional speechmaking, singing, instrumentalism, memorizing, and acting
of hardworking students. With joy,
Martha Hays, Margaret Richardson, Durwood Smith, L.O. Atkins and others made
their expectations clear. No flip-flops,
sit up straight, raise your hand, speak clearly, don’t dare come to class
without a book and pencil, and say thank-you to the lunch room workers.
Nationally,
this productive, soul-satisfying ethic has waned. I fear
that the Anglo-sphere is becoming more like the government-reliant Old World it
escaped from. If I am right,
exceptionalism may be reaching its twilight.
How I hope and pray I am wrong.
Roger Hines
3/21/18
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