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OpEdNews Op Eds 4/29/2025 at 7:49 AM EDT

What Exactly Does 'United' Mean?

By John Rachel (Page 2 of 5 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page. 5 comments

John Rachel

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Are we united in our desire for empire?

Are we united by a love for our fellow Americans?

Are we united by our patriotism and sense of duty?

Or . . . are we united by our indifference?

Are we united by our faith in the American Dream?

Or . . . are we united by our pessimism?

Our cynicism?

How about some systemic issues . . .

Are we united in our faith in capitalism?

Are we united in the trust of our government?

Are we united in our belief in American democracy?

Are we united by a trust in God?

A system of shared values?

An ethos?

Are we united by our sense of self-determination?

Or . . . are we united by our sense of helplessness?

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John Rachel has a B.A. in Philosophy, and has written ten novels and six political non-fiction books. His political articles have appeared at OpEdNews, Russia Insider, The Greanville Post, and other alternative media outlets. Since leaving (more...)

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3 people are discussing this page, with 5 comments

John Rachel

(Member since Jun 2, 2011), 48 fans, 153 articles, 5137 comments, 3 diaries (How many times has this commenter been recommended?)

Will the ascendancy of factionalism and authoritarian rule in America be its final undoing? If so, the US has destroyed itself from within.

Submitted on Tuesday, Apr 29, 2025 at 7:49:36 AM

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Jill Herendeen

(Member since Jul 18, 2008), 23 fans, 3 articles, 3707 comments, 1 diaries (How many times has this commenter been recommended?)

Reply to John Rachel:

The handful of white men who invented the name, 2/3 of whom owned slaves, & who ruled (originally) that only white men w/ enough property could vote (about 5% of the entire population back then), united to perpetuate oligarchic rule, at everyone else's expense, just cutting the UK out of their greed-fest. Looks to me like THEY've been doing really well, as they always intended.

Submitted on Tuesday, Apr 29, 2025 at 11:24:13 AM

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John Rachel

(Member since Jun 2, 2011), 48 fans, 153 articles, 5137 comments, 3 diaries (How many times has this commenter been recommended?)

Reply to Jill Herendeen:

Well, meaning evolves, a linguistic inevitability which results from regular word usage. You are absolutely correct about the original use of the term. During more hopeful, optimistic times, as the original "concept" of the US of A moved through history, it took on additional connotative meaning. But as you point out, the tainted genesis of 'united' has confined, sometimes abrogated a more inspiring application. I was forced to sell my slaves when the dotcom bubble burst. Unfortunately, I invested the money in edible tuxedo futures. The incredibly convenient edible tuxedo never caught on, as people turned more to wearing silly t-shirts, like 'I'm With Stupid' and 'Life Is A Beach'.

Submitted on Tuesday, Apr 29, 2025 at 4:52:48 PM

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Rick Staggenborg, MD

(Member since Dec 5, 2011), 47 fans, 87 articles, 694 comments (How many times has this commenter been recommended?)

Until recently, Americans have been united in the belief that we are a nation of laws and not of men. Unfortunately, most never realized that those laws were designed to serve men of property, who have so come to disdain those laws that they have exposed the US for what it truly is.

Submitted on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 12:16:11 PM

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John Rachel

(Member since Jun 2, 2011), 48 fans, 153 articles, 5137 comments, 3 diaries (How many times has this commenter been recommended?)

Reply to Rick Staggenborg, MD:

I seriously doubt that people carried around in their hearts a legalistic view of their membership in the American family. We are still a nation of laws, but as you say, people have begun to wake up and realize the laws have more served the ruling elite and cemented their grip on the running of the country. Will they do something about it or continue to vote like dummies?

Submitted on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 4:56:07 PM

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