Failed to understand " The grandest of these ideals is an American promise that everyone belongs"

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I've failed to understand the meaning of " The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs" exactly.

Does promise here mean (1) or (2)?

1.
a verbal commitment by one person to another agreeing to do (or not to do) something in the future
2.
grounds for feeling hopeful about the future

If it means (1), a verbal commitment, what does "everyone belongs to the commitment" exactly mean?

Context:

We have a place, all of us, in a long story. A story we continue, but whose end we will not see. It is the story of a new world that became a friend and liberator of the old, a story of a slave-holding society that became a servant of freedom, the story of a power that went into the world to protect but not possess, to defend but not to conquer. It is the American story. A story of flawed and fallible people, united across the generations by grand and enduring ideals. The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, that no insignificant person was ever born. Americans are called upon to enact this promise in our lives and in our laws; and though our nation has sometimes halted, and sometimes delayed, we must follow no other course.

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@oristarA,

You taking the statement far too literally, as the statement just means that in the US culture the ideal is that all Americans of whatever background or race are first Americans and should be accepted as being fellow countrymen.

The word promise here is not a literal promise.

1 Reply

@BillRM,

BillRM wrote:

You taking the statement far too literally, as the statement just means that in the US culture the ideal is that all Americans of whatever background or race are first Americans and should be accepted as being fellow countrymen.

The word promise here is not a literal promise.

It sounds me that you've narrowed the meaning too much. One of the contents of the "promise" here is "that no insignificant person was ever born." Which should be referred to everyone living in this planet, not just Americans.

5 Replies

@oristarA,

Perhaps you are right however the word promise still seems to being apply to Americans not the whole world.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

You could widen it out a little: a pledge, an understanding, a "given" in modern parlance.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident..."

0 Replies

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

BillRM wrote:

You taking the statement far too literally, as the statement just means that in the US culture the ideal is that all Americans of whatever background or race are first Americans and should be accepted as being fellow countrymen.

The word promise here is not a literal promise.

It sounds me that you've narrowed the meaning too much. One of the contents of the "promise" here is "that no insignificant person was ever born." Which should be referred to everyone living in this planet, not just Americans.

Oristar, I must join in Bill's opinion.
I am part of America, a natural born citizen,
and I never made any such promise to anyone.
NO Where in the Supreme Law of the Land (the US Constitution)
are we required to abide by the notions that he has expressed.
The author of that statement is a liberal, i.e. a liar
who tries to mis-represent American views and American commitments
and he hopes not to be challenged on his alleged facts, as he cannot prove them.
Thay are false and indefensible. The truth means nothing to such a man.
He is merely expressing his own wishes and his hallucinations.
I resent his imagination being projected onto ME, without my consent.
Americans have NO DUTY to cause everyone born on Earth
to become significant. We have the right to mind our own business.

David

0 Replies

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

". . . The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, that no insignificant person was ever born. . . ."

This assertion is facially ridiculous and non-viable;
e.g., if an insignificant person was born in Spain in 1431,
then the alleged American "promise" was violated.
The USA did not even exist back then.

If I were able to, I 'd challenge that charlatan face-to-face.

David

2 Replies

@OmSigDAVID,

For chrissakes calm down, David. He was talking about Americans and it's the usual soft soap. Go with the flow. Get that feel-good feel.

1 Reply

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

It sounds me that you've narrowed the meaning too much. One of the contents of the "promise" here is "that no insignificant person was ever born." Which should be referred to everyone living in this planet, not just Americans.

Since the entire paragraph is solely concerned with America and Americans, the unspoken premise is actually that 'everybody' means 'all Americans'. And the option you should go for is probably 2), since it clearly can't be 1) (There is no 'person' with whom you can make a verbal commitment).

And what the bolded section means, is simply that all Americans are relevant, i.e., none should be ignored.

What I personally feel about the truthfulness of this paragraph is not important.

0 Replies

@McTag,

McTag wrote:

For chrissakes calm down, David.
He was talking about Americans and it's the usual soft soap.
Go with the flow. Get that feel-good feel.

Mr. McTag: please understand that I get that "feel-good feel" when I discredit liberals
and show them up for the charlatans that thay r.

David

0 Replies

@OmSigDAVID,

OmSigDAVID wrote:

oristarA wrote:
". . . The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, that no insignificant person was ever born. . . ."
This assertion is facially ridiculous and non-viable;
e.g., if an insignificant person was born in Spain in 1431,
then the alleged American "promise" was violated.
The USA did not even exist back then.

If I were able to, I 'd challenge that charlatan face-to-face.

David

Sorry Dave, I doubt that you will have the courage to challenge the speaker face-to-face.
Are you serious or are you kidding or bragging?

2 Replies

@oristarA,

Just as American Dream is for all under the sun, American Promise is for all who live on this planet.

It demands good will and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

Quote:

It sounds me that you've narrowed the meaning too much. One of the contents of the "promise" here is "that no insignificant person was ever born." Which should be referred to everyone living in this planet, not just Americans.

You've witnessed, Ori, probably not for the first time and definitely not the last, the incredible self absorption of Americans.

0 Replies

@oristarA,

What'd I tell you, Ori. I just didn't think that it would happen this fast.

0 Replies

This quote is from George W. Bush's first inaugural address.

3 Replies

@oristarA,

oristarA wrote:

OmSigDAVID wrote:

oristarA wrote:
". . . The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves a chance, that no insignificant person was ever born. . . ."
This assertion is facially ridiculous and non-viable;
e.g., if an insignificant person was born in Spain in 1431,
then the alleged American "promise" was violated.
The USA did not even exist back then.

If I were able to, I 'd challenge that charlatan face-to-face.

David

Sorry Dave, I doubt that you will have the courage to challenge the speaker face-to-face.
Are you serious or are you kidding or bragging?

O, no. Since and during childhood, I was frequently
challenging teachers in school, or lecturers anywhere,
if their presentations had flaws or questionable aspects.
It has always come naturally to me, like a duck to water.
That 's not bragging. No courage has proven to be necessary,
just a big mouth.

For instance, qua the exhibited question of alleged American promises,
I 'd lay my ax at the root of his assertion by challenging him
to tell me WHERE I can find these alleged promises
and WHICH authority stands behind them, demanding
that he tell us when, where and under what circumstances
those alleged promises were forthcoming and demanding
to know WHAT AUTHORITY the alleged promisor had to commit me to ANYTHING.

Its not hard; just nail him down qua the specifics of his allegations
and publicly shame him for his lies. Historically and legally, I know
that he has no foundation for his assertions; just his imagination.
Trial lawyers (from whose profession I have retired)
do that all the time. That is what forensic cross-
examination is for. There is nothing new about it.

David

1 Reply

@InfraBlue,

InfraBlue wrote:

This quote is from George W. Bush's first inaugural address.

... and given that, how can anyone suppose it is not bullshit?

0 Replies

@InfraBlue,

I figured it would be a presidential speech. It has that sort of high minded, pompous, flow to it Smile

1 Reply

@InfraBlue,

InfraBlue wrote:

This quote is from George W. Bush's first inaugural address.

You do have a big mouth. Cool

1 Reply

@najmelliw,

najmelliw wrote:

I figured it would be a presidential speech.
It has that sort of high minded, pompous, flow to it

Nonsense like that is endemic to Inaugural Addresses.

David

-1 Replies

Failed to understand " The grandest of these ideals is an American promise that everyone belongs"

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