America's survival hangs in the balance

How long can this nation survive when its main cultural and educational institutions preach a relentless, unchallenged stream of anti-Americanism to young people (and others) who lack the background to resist this toxicity?

Along with others, I have long argued that the American left has a major problem with America as founded. Yet Democrats are outraged by the suggestion, and too many Republicans seem insufficiently concerned about it. They better wake up.

If current events aren't enough to turn your head, please consider the following data presented by Eric Kaufmann, professor of politics at the University of London Birkbeck College.

Kaufmann writes that the "cultural revolutionaries" who are toppling statues and renaming buildings "are changing minds, and could be in a position to enact a root-and-branch reconstruction of America into something completely unrecognizable to its present-day inhabitants." He adds: "Imagine a country whose collective memory has been upended, with a new constitution, anthem, and flag, its name changed from the sinful 'America' to something less tainted. Far-fetched? Not according to data I have collected on what liberal white Americans actually believe."

Notice Kaufmann isn't talking merely about the extreme left but American liberals. This is chilling stuff but unsurprising to me. In my book "Guilty by Reason of Insanity," I warned that socialism is not the only terrible idea the left is promoting. I wrote: "The left isn't turning to socialism just because its members think it's more equitable than capitalism but also because they seek revenge against America's founding generation and its successor beneficiaries. They want to eradicate the Western tradition that spawned our unique American culture because it allegedly led to continental larceny against Native Americans, is in irredeemable moral debt over slavery, and is forever culpable for oppressing minorities and women through white privilege and the inherent exploitation of capitalism." I don't claim to be a prophet, but is my statement not vindicated by America's present turmoil?

Kaufmann polled American liberals to gauge their willingness "to jettison the country's cultural identity." On May 7 (before the George Floyd killing), he surveyed a sample of 870 Americans who "lean young, liberal, and white." The group was not representative of the American population at large but drawn from the Amazon Mechanical Turk and Prolific Academic survey platforms used by thousands of academics. He consciously removed conservatives and centrists to focus only on self-described liberals. He presented them with 16 "outlandish" statements and was "amazed" by their answers. He surveyed them again on June 15, after the Floyd killing and subsequent protests, and found that things "had gotten even crazier."

He asked them to agree or disagree that Americans should:

"1. Rebalance the history taught in schools until its voices and subjects reflect the demographics of the population and heritage of Native people and citizens of color

"2. Move, after public consultation, to a new American anthem that better reflects our diversity as a people

"3. Rename our cities and towns until they match the demographics of the population

"4. Rebalance the art shown in museums across the country until an analysis of content shows that it reflects the demography of the population and perspective of Native people and citizens of color

"5. Move, after an open public process, to a new name for our country that better reflects the contributions of Native Americans and our diversity as a people

"6. Rename our states until they better reflect the heritage of Native people and citizens of color

"7. Gradually replace many older public buildings with new structures that don't perpetuate a Eurocentric order, until a more representative public space is achieved

"8. Respectfully remove the monument to four white male presidents at Mount Rushmore, as they presided over the conquest of Native people and repression of women and minorities

"9. Allow our public parks to return to their natural state, before a European sense of order was imposed upon them

"10. Move, after public consultation, to a new American flag that better reflects our diversity as a people

"11. Consider adopting a new national language, that will be forged from the immigrant and Native linguistic diversity of this country's past.

"12. Remove existing statues of white men from public spaces until the stock of statues matches the demographics of the population

"13. Gently remodel the statue of liberty to make it better reflect the diversity of America

"14. Rename our streets and neighborhoods until they match the demographics of the population

"15. Move, after public consultation, to a new American constitution that better reflects our diversity as a people

"16. Begin changing the layout of our cities, towns, and highways, moving away from the grid system to follow the more natural trails originally used by Native people"

Kaufmann reports: "Every one of these proposals represents a radical blow to American cultural nationhood. Yet ... six of them carry the support of more than 50 percent of committed liberals ... Eight are backed by a majority of the 40 percent of liberals who identify as 'very liberal.' Some 80 percent of those who have made up their mind would replace the national anthem and constitution."

Assuming this survey is remotely scientific and representative of liberal thinking, it should be uncontroversial to say the American left wants to radically transform America.

After considering this data, and the left's support and sympathy for the violence, looting and anarchy sweeping this country, could it be any clearer what is at stake in the 2020 elections?

I respectfully appeal to reasonable people on both sides of the political aisle to recognize what's happening to the greatest nation in history and oppose it before it's too late. These kinds of revolutions don't end well for anyone -- including the nihilists who engineer them.

David Limbaugh is a writer, author and attorney. He resides in Cape Girardeau.