The United States has always been politically divided. The assassinations of presidents and members of congress go back to our earliest days, with 3 presidents killed between 1865 and 1901, and six attempts, 2 successful, on members of congress between 1905 and 1935.

This is not about a political divide (most certainly a political crisis) any longer, but a cultural divide. American culture, what this country stands for, has been slowly eroded away. The complexity of the problem stems from the source of erosion being plural, not singular, and these sources, while existing separately, have worked together to change the narrative in the United States.

These forces have changed the way traditional American culture is viewed, passing through the lens of race, oppression, and the sense that equality goes beyond our God-given, inalienable rights. This has led a large portion of our population and others around the globe to view American culture as rooted in white-supremacy; intolerant, racist, nationalist, and evil. Many of the same attacks on Charlie Kirk’s character and platform are applied to the United States of America.

America is a large country. Naturally, there are going to be different people groups with their own customs and traditions, regional differences within the country, and different historical impressions left on these people and their regions. However, the United States of America as a whole does stand for something. It is for this, no matter who you are, where you live, or where you came from, that we all must collectively buy into.

American culture values individualism and self-reliance, independence, entrepreneurship, equality, diversity, immigration, a free market, time and productivity, freedom to worship, and democracy. Our country’s creation was rooted in Christian principles, and like it or not, Christian values are a part of American culture. An attack on Christianity is an attack on the United States.

That is why gay marriage was a hard law to pass, and why gay marriage should not be a part of the Christian church. It is contrary to Christian principles and the Bible. Regardless of what you think about gay marriage, involving the Christian church goes against the Bible, Christian tradition, and Christian teaching. That doesn’t make our nation homophobic. It makes us a nation that is troubled when demands are made upon our values and they are disregarded.

Given the historical influence of immigration in our country, it has been said that American culture is always shifting based on these influences, but that is not true. We only become richer as we accept these cultural influences into our society, but they do not change our core culture.

Everyone in America has the right to embrace their ethnicity and the traditions of their cultural roots. We see it occurring everywhere, and many of us participate in these celebrations. That is what makes our country ethnically rich and beautifully diverse. But within our cultural background and celebrations, we must embrace what it means to be American and to live on American soil.

For example, Black Americans invented the greatest musical movement of our country’s history. Jazz and Blues did not change American culture, but they undeniably made it richer, more diverse, and more enjoyable.

Sub-cultures within the United States that attack American culture by making claims of white-supremacy and fascism against it are using weak and cowardly arguments to avoid the greater problems of their own culture. It is a disease rooted in blaming. The United States is the land of opportunity. It always has been. Individuals and groups of every creed, race, and sexual preference have found success here.

Basic assimilation to the culture, instead of attacking it, is critical to success anywhere one goes. Thousands of immigrants legally come into this country every year and begin building a life for themselves. They can do this because they want to be here, they appreciate what the United States stands for, and they are willing to work hard to provide for their families. These courageous individuals and families will learn English, will often modify their names for easier pronunciation and memorization, and will embrace the culture to some extent for survival and prosperity.

They don’t arrive in the US to put their hands out and ask, “what will the government do for me?”. Why? They didn’t come from a place where that is expected. As a nation, we are desensitized to the government providing for our needs. This is where conservative Americans break from liberal Americans.

But no matter where you stand on the debate between community action and social policy, American culture does not change. Social policies will always exist. Some people need help, and that’s OK, but to replace individual and community responsibility with government is not in step with American culture.