In my grandparents’ generation, regarding Jewish identity, they would say, “it doesn’t matter what you call yourself, when they come for you in the middle of the night.”

Grim but, to my mind, accurate. And applicable as well to American identity.

I’m American; this is my country. Sometimes I’m proud of that fact; sometimes I’m mortified. It remains a fact. I can ask to be labelled a Progressive or an Anarchist or a Libertarian. Like it or not, I’m still an American.

You and I probably share (roughly) 83.4% of the same ideas about what America has done wrong — and, in many cases, continues to do wrong. What do we do about that? I don’t think that (the impossible task of) culturally and symbolically “seceding” from America is an effective response.

I didn’t grow up with “My country, right or wrong!” or “America, love it or leave it!” I grew up with something closer to “you support and fight for the ‘professed ideals’ of the country, the ‘equality’ initially only partially promised to a minority of Americans, including — or especially — when the government tramples them.”

I appreciate your response. Thank you.