The American people have long been under attack by entrenched institutions, but today, a deeper problem has emerged from within the right itself. Two key factions—our oldest supporters, the Old Boomers, and our newest political allies, the Tech Bros—share a troubling belief. Both groups have embraced the notion that America is not a nation or a people but merely an idea.

This flawed perception undermines the foundation of what makes America unique. A nation is not an abstract ideal; it is a specific group of people bound by shared history, culture, language, and traditions. America’s identity as a nation was not an accident. It was carefully forged by the collective actions, sacrifices, and visions of its people. To preserve this identity, we must reject the abstraction of “America as an idea” and reaffirm the truth: America is a nation with a distinct and cohesive character.

America’s identity as a nation was not formed by happenstance; it was the deliberate result of a particular people building a new society based on shared values, customs, and goals. The early settlers of America were overwhelmingly of English descent, bringing with them the culture, language, and legal traditions that would form the bedrock of the nation.

English common law, with its emphasis on individual rights and property ownership, became the foundation of America’s legal system. Protestant Christianity, particularly its work ethic and sense of moral responsibility, shaped the nation’s culture and governance. The early colonies functioned as extensions of this English heritage, adapting it to the unique challenges and opportunities of the New World.

As the nation expanded, other groups—primarily the Irish, Germans, and Italians—joined this foundational stock. They brought with them their own traditions, but these groups integrated into the broader American identity through a process of assimilation. This assimilation was not automatic or easy; it required a commitment to learning the English language, adopting American civic traditions, and contributing to the common good.

The result was a nation with a unique identity—a blend of European influences, shaped by the frontier spirit, and bound together by a shared sense of purpose. This unity allowed America to achieve remarkable feats, from winning independence to becoming a global superpower.

A nation is more than a geographical boundary or a collection of individuals. It is a community of people who share common values, traditions, and cultural norms. This shared identity creates cohesion, loyalty, and a sense of belonging—qualities essential for a nation’s survival and prosperity.

The Founding Fathers understood this principle. When they envisioned America, they did not see it as a blank slate or a platform for abstract ideals. They saw it as a nation with a distinct people who would uphold and protect its principles. Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist No. 2, emphasized the importance of national unity, writing:

"Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people—a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs."

This vision of a cohesive nation contrasts sharply with the modern belief that a nation can exist without a unifying culture or identity. History provides countless examples of nations that collapsed when their people lost this sense of unity. The Roman Empire, for instance, fell not just because of external invasions but because of internal divisions and the erosion of a shared Roman identity. The Austro-Hungary Empire struggled to maintain itself in the latter years due to large minority populations in the Balkans which did not share the same desires and viewpoints as the empire itself.

One of the greatest threats to this understanding of America comes from the growing influence of Tech Bros—a faction that sees the nation primarily as an economic platform. For this group, America is not a homeland with a distinct people and culture but a marketplace for maximizing innovation and productivity.

This mindset is evident in their support for policies like the H-1B visa program, which prioritizes importing foreign labor over investing in American workers. To the Tech Bros, loyalty to the nation is secondary to economic efficiency. This worldview reduces the American people to economic units, valuable only insofar as they contribute to GDP.

The consequences of this mindset are already apparent. By flooding the labor market with foreign workers, the H-1B program has suppressed wages and displaced American talent. Tech giants often argue that this is necessary for economic growth, but the truth is that it undermines the social fabric of the nation. Economic prosperity means little if it comes at the expense of national unity and the well-being of the American people.

The idea that America is merely a set of principles rather than a people is seductive but dangerous. It suggests that anyone, anywhere, can become American simply by adopting certain values. This perspective, championed by Old Boomers steeped in Cold War rhetoric, ignores the cultural and historical realities that make America unique.

America’s success has never been rooted solely in its ideals. While freedom, democracy, and individual rights are central to the nation’s identity, these principles have only flourished because they were upheld by a cohesive people. When a nation’s population lacks shared values, language, or culture, these principles become difficult—if not impossible—to sustain.

For example, consider the failure of nation-building efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. American leaders tried to export democracy and free-market ideals to these countries, but without a shared cultural foundation, these efforts faltered. This underscores a fundamental truth: ideals cannot exist in a vacuum. They require a people who are united by common bonds.

Preserving America’s National Identity

To preserve America’s identity, we must reject the abstraction of “America as an idea” and reaffirm the importance of its people. This means acknowledging the cultural, historical, and linguistic ties that bind the nation together.

-Protecting American Workers: Programs like H-1B must be reformed to prioritize domestic talent. Economic policies should benefit the American people, not global corporations.

-Encouraging Assimilation: If immigration should occur it must be accompanied by a strong emphasis on integration. Immigrants must learn the English language, understand American civic traditions, and contribute to the nation’s culture. They also should be prioritized from countries with close ties to our founding stock ancestry, rather than any nation on earth.

-Preserving Cultural Traditions: National holidays, historical monuments, and civic rituals should be protected and celebrated. These symbols reinforce the shared identity of the American people. The federal government under Trump needs to continue pushing for a Pax Americana resurgence. We as a people must feel pride in our nation if we are to defend it, defend our culture, our people.

America is not an accident. It is a nation forged by a specific group of people, united by shared history, culture, and values. While ideals like freedom and democracy are central to its identity, they are meaningless without the people who embody and uphold them.

The belief that America is merely an idea or an economic platform threatens to erode this identity. To ensure the nation’s survival and prosperity, we must reaffirm that America is a homeland, not just for anyone who adopts certain principles, but for a cohesive and distinct people. Only by recognizing and preserving this reality can we secure America’s future in the 21st century.