The television show, "The Newsroom" was a creation of Aaron Sorkin. It ran for only three seasons. It was clever at times, it was brilliant at others. It was very nearly always compelling even though it had the drawbacks of Sorkin, including needlessly engaging from time to time in hyperbole.
I bring it up because the first 10 minutes of that show's pilot episode are about the best 10 minutes of television produced in the past 40 years or so (sorry All in the Family, Mash, Hill Street Blues, and a host of others). Those 10 minutes were so great because they asked a very hard question and gave a very hard answer. They were also great because they were prophetic and hit home on a very visceral and deeply held feeling in the United States.
At the beginning of that episode the host, Jeff Daniels, in his role as Will McAvoy (an old school Republican and long-time news anchor), is moderating a town-hall style debate between a liberal and a conservative. A college student stands up and asks each of the people on stage, "What makes America the greatest nation in the world?"
The liberal says, "Diversity," the conservative says, "Freedom, Freedom and Freedom." McAvoy demures but the questioner persists. Finally, Daniels/McAvoy says, "It's not. It's not the greatest country in the world." He then turns to the liberal and says, "Diversity??? Lot's of country's are diverse. If you liberals are so damned smart, why do you keep losing elections." He then turns to the conservative and says, "Freedom? Seriously? 125 of the 167 nations in this world have every bit as much of the freedoms as we have." He then turns the young woman who asked the question and (after mocking her a bit), says, "America is no longer the greatest nation in the world.... But it could be, again." (Apologies for any mistakes here, I'm going from memory).
The funny thing is, I sometimes wonder if "the Donald" stole his campaign slogan from Sorkin (a left-leaning radical if there ever was one). How ironic that would be to have the right's champion take up a cry (that America ISN'T great) that would have previously gotten anyone on the left who said it eviscerated. But that aside, I think the lesson is in what McAvoy said (and meant) vs. what Trump means (and means to do). It's not just important actually, it's shockingly different.
When you think about "what makes America great?" most l