The Problem With America’s Patriotism Deficit

We can't lead by example if we can't articulate what distinguishes us.

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Well, that didn’t go well.

Last week, China and the United States met in Anchorage for the first high-level talks between the two governments since Joe Biden was elected president. It was supposed to begin with a photo op and brief opening statements from each side. Instead, we got a preview of how ill-prepared America is to deal with an ascendant China.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, it could be said, started it. In his initial remarks, Blinken said the U.S. wanted to “discuss our deep concerns with actions by China, including in Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Taiwan, cyberattacks on the United States, and economic coercion toward our allies.”

The Chinese delegation was prepared for this “provocation.” Yang Jiechi, director of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Communist Party, launched into a 16-minute tirade against America, accusing the U.S. of condescension toward China.

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  1. Avatar photo
    Jason Gibson

    I agree with Jonah. However I give blinken a bit of a pass because he’s a dem. And officials have to support the president for whom they work and not impede their messaging. (Blame the president for the messaging if you must) I’m just glad that he called out the atrocities. And I hope for more

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  2. Kurt Von Fuchs

    Jonah you're a smart guy and a really good writer. Please don't pretend you don't know why Americans act so timidly around China. I think the answer is pretty simple consumerism. China is increasingly becoming wealthy and there are 1 billion people and we want them to buy our stuff and watch our television shows and our sporting events. If we really care about human rights Congress could in a bipartisan fashion restrict our companies from doing business in China. We should also of course stop doing business for Saudi Arabia etc. etc. etc. I find it interesting that both the right and the left seem to feel like we completely failed simply because China has not become like the United States in white for years. China has over 5000 years of civilization they've never had anything close to democracy or capitalism as we know it.

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  3. Kurt Von Fuchs

    In addition I'm so glad that the dispatch riders actually read the comments from readers

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    Kevin Johnson

    Jonah, you make common sense points in clear, concise language. You rightfully include Trumpkin disaster and its aftermath. However many folks may dislike it, though, you are right about the huge presence of knee-jerk anti-Americanism on the left. It was always there, but it is increasingly emboldened and Blinken’s sad performance may be due to that, or to other things, as you note.

    I spent 31 years representing the U.S. abroad, which included explaining US policy to foreign audiences and sometimes to interested Americans. From the nuclear arms race, to the broader Cold War, to world-wide poverty, to corruption in the Third World, there has always been a segment on the left that considered the US the largest threat to world peace and freedom. They weren’t (and aren’t) a majority among Dems, but an important minority. That minority is larger than ever now. You point to a real phenomenon.

    Growing woke hysteria holds that the US is the biggest source of imperialist and colonial oppression abroad, and that its “white supremacy” is the cause of oppression at home. Blinker is by all accounts a smart and decent man. My former boss Dick Lugar worked for years with Senator Biden who, while less smart than folks like Blinken, was not part of the blame America first crowd.

    Given the administration’s (which I voted for) other criticisms of China, you ask a very legitimate question: why didn’t Blinken defend our country more clearly while also noting the importance of self criticism and correction, instead of just doing the latter? I can’t read Blinken’s mind, but your points are logical, even if painful to some. You in no way damned all of the left or all dems. Your raising interesting questions is in no way offensive, even if some scream and shout. Anger at you making such defensible points says more about the critics than about you.

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    Klar1990

    Have we not all collectively lived through the last four years of the Other Guy and not seen what has been acceptable behavior-thought-group acceptance of White Supremacy agenda.

    I may need to re-read the entirety of JG’s post, possibly several times. However I could emphatically say the United States of America is the ideal of “all men are created equal” but I would still admit we need to walk that walk, when we in no way do.

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  6. Ted Sisson

    It should be easy to defend our country, however imperfect it is, against criticism from a country currently operating concentration camps. I had low expectations for the next four years and I am still disappointed.

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    Kevinonline

    I think JG article correct, clear effectively communicated exactly what JG wanted to say, and I agree with it. We should have sent Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks, or my ww2 vet high school econ teacher instead of Blinken. At least they would have effectively communicated the idea of "America" while understanding we do not always live up to that ideal. About North Korea, if we could transplant North Korea between Mexico and Texas etc it would be clear to all that the last thing China wants is to share a border with a prosperous, free, happy Korea, requiring a Berlin wall esque monstrosity between them. If North Korea did not exist, China would have to invent it.

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  8. cb76

    "There are a lot of killers. You think our country's so innocent?"

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    1. Avatar photo
      Pat Riot

      "What was in it for them?"

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    2. @fakeJohn

      This was one of the worst things that guy ever said. It was so disgusting.

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  9. Avatar photo
    Pat Riot

    I really don't think "the left" influenced Sec. Blinken's statements. Occam's Razor says that he didn't fully prepare for these remarks or didn't prioritize them in this context or didn't want to escalate the shouting match, etc.

    To be clear, here in the ivory tower as a Conservative I am disappointed to that Sec. Blinken didn't deliver a sort of "evil empire" speech, delineating in stark philosophical terms the difference between a country founded on the notion of the universal protection of Rights and one that is a slave pen run by a dictator.

    Something like:

    "Not every country always achieves its goals all of the time, but the goal of the United States is the protection of individual Rights and the goal of China is to subjugate those Rights to a dictator. The United States stands for freedom and China does not".

    See, no need to bring up Jim Crow or Japanese internment camps or Trump's child separations.

    But I don't think Sec. Blinken's failure to be Pat Riot was some sort of plot by George Soros, no...

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  10. Avatar photo
    Deb4711

    The US delegation could point out that there are hundreds of people on our Southwest border clamoring to get in. I don't want to minimize the problems connected with this situation -- but is anyone trying that hard to get IN to China?

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    1. Nickson

      Also, one of the *very first things* many Chinese do upon acquiring enough wealth is to buy a property in the US or other parts of the West. They want an escape hatch.

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      Jerome Bohl

      North Koreans, but yeah, your point is solid.

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      1. Avatar photo
        DougCLE

        True - someone always has it worse.

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