There are quite a few versions of LeRoy Anderson’s medley “A Christmas Festival” on YouTube. The performance you usually hear had the legendary Arthur Fiedler waving the baton; Arthur was also the one who started using Anderson’s quirky, clever orchestral compositions in Pops concerts. You don’t hear Anderson’s works much any more except at Christmas, when his “Sleighride!” is unavoidable, but “Typwriter,” “The Syncopated Clock” and “Bugler’s Holiday,” among others, were all popular hits in the Fifties and Sixties.
I picked the video above because the Powerpoint reminded me of my wife, best friend, co-founder of ProEthics and indispensable partner Grace, who designed all of the presentations I used. She was proud of them and devoted so much care to making them colorful and interesting. And she asked me how the attendees of my ethics seminars liked each one of them. The sad fact was that nobody cared; the lawyers just wanted their credits. I might as well have been using a blackboard. The presentations were just a point of professionalism for us, and creative expression for her. Grace’s Powerpoints are still better than most of what you’re liable to see today. She was especially fond of the animations.
I don’t know about you, but I’m heading to the end of 2025, my third straight non-Christmas Christmas—-no tree, no wreath on the door, no music in the house, no decorations (well, I bought some red Poinsettias, but they’re all dead now) no parties, no Grace— at a near all-time low in optimism, happiness, financial security, confidence, companionship, self-esteem, trust in my profession, hope for the nation, and respect for my fellow citizens. This is unacceptable, and I am hereby inviting Cher to set me straight.
Thank-you.
Ethics Alarms 
Let start of a discussion about nationalism and patriotism. As a Dutch citizen who is proud of Dutch history but has been living in the USA for decades I have been wondering about the value of citizenship and about patriotism and loyalty. Given how nationalism and patriotism played out in European history in the twentieth century with two world wars appeals to patriotism tend to make be apprehensive.
My take on the duties of everybody residing in the USA regardless of citizenship is that they should have respect for the institutions and the laws of the country, its culture and history. I see that some USA citizens (naturalized and born) lack in doing so, e.g. Ilhan Omar but also those who are sympathetic to Hanna Jones’s 1619 project (which includes the Biden administration). Republicans tend to value patriotism, but only a minority of Democrats.
A key test for patriotism is whether you are willing to die for your country. Let’s assume a young Brit, or an immigrant to the UK who thinks about becoming a citizen of the UK. Given that there is a chance that UK soldiers may be sent of the war against Russia on behalf of the Ukraine, is UK citizenship really something that you should aspire too? Here is Kurt Schlichter’s take on the matter, please read his entire post.
Now the UK is not the USA. However assume that Kamala Harris or AOC were the current President, with House and Senate solidly in Democrat hands, should you still consider becoming a US citizen on grounds that are related to ethics and principles?
CVB I’m interested in whether you are also a US citizen and, if so, whether your decision to become a US citizen was based on your assessment of who controlled the House, the Senate, and the Presidency? I kind of doubt this ranked as relevant to many would-be citizens’ minds when they went through the process.. so I wonder why you think so, and it occurred to me that maybe this was your own experience?
I DO know two longtime foreign immigrants who (after many decades of residency, both with native born American children) applied to become citizens so that they could vote for Obama (they were a Canadian and a Kiwi, so you can make the usual inferences there).
No I am a green-card holder living in New York State. If I become a citizen I could vote but that is the only advantage, and as NY is solidly blue I do not see what difference makes.
I do not like the political culture in the USA that much. Too polarized and acrimonious. After the assassination attempts at Trump and the assassination of Charlie Kirk there was a lot of talk in the social media about whether the USA is heading for a Civil War, and whether the USA starts resembling the Weimar Republic. This makes me antsy.
I do like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, and the ideals it embodies. But the way the USA has been governed for the last twenty five years is a complete shitshow, and the politicians are horrible.
You wrote: “I do not like the political culture in the USA that much. Too polarized and acrimonious.” I totally agree, and I think my view may have been shaped by spending some of my formative years (age 11-17) in Nederland.
I very much appreciate the way Nederlanders view the world in mostly non-ideological ways, more like engineers identifying problems and thinking about what might be a sensible solution.
I lived there in the later 60s and early 70s — hippie era–and while Americans were apparently completely distraught, opining at what they saw as a sign of the imminent fall of civilization (kind of like the present day! Never gets old, apparently!), the Dutch response was…. Hmm, all these people sleeping in the Vondelpark — not very sanitary! Let’s bring in portapotties and set up a place where they can shower.
Watching both the nature of American politics and what still seems to me to be the ridiculously overwrought and partisan reactions of so many citizens (right AND left), I find myself more aligned with the very Dutch sentiment of
“doe maar gewoon”
Problem is that the Netherlands is part of the EU which greatly restrains the freedom of the individual states to handle their own affairs.
Cees, I think an element that’s missing in this equation is the difference between being sent off the fight a foreign war and fighting to defend one’s country. If the Belgians decided to invade Holland (funny how the Belgians and Dutch despise each other), I think the Dutch could field an army from its citizenry. Would the Moroccans sign up. I doubt it. They’d probably just scoot(er) to some other country.
If the U.S. were attacked, would you join up if asked to. Most likely.
A key component of that is whether or not you agree with the founding principles of the US, and what they’re based on.
Initially people came here for the freedom to worship the God of the Bible, to pursue that which God created them for. It’s the basis of our founding documents. And look at the first amendment.
Then, as now, not everybody who comes here or is born here believes or practices “religion”, but there’s an ideal of the compact between the individual freedoms and the responsibility to the group that is a mirror of the Christian faith. In that tradition there is neither Greek nor Jew, master or slave, etc, and we’re called to love one another.
The Christian faith is the original melting pot, and our, or at least my, patriotism celebrates the fact that our government is still of the people, by the people, for the people, under God.
There is not another nation on earth like it, though the atheist leftists hate it and are trying to do away with it as we speak, and make us like all the rest of the world.
And keep in mind for Christians, our first allegiance is to Christ and the God of the Hebrews. I love America because of the ideas it holds, but as the old saying goes, I only bow to one king.
Since the time of Christ, and to this day, Christians sacrifice their lives to a noble, righteous, and loving King. I think if America loses the ideals it’s founded on, we too will find patriotism waning. In fact, I belive stats point bear out that fact between religious and non-religious.
I think there’s value to be had in patriotism, but it’s a lot harder to swear fealty and be willing to sacrifice for those who hate you. In that sense, I think Schlichter is right. Those governing the European nations are no longer interested in maintaining or preserving what it meant to be English, French, German, Dutch, etc, but rather in tearing down those ideals. It’s a piece apart from what it means to be American, though.
Starting with the Bible focusing on the New Testament I see a number of things:
For (most) Christians allegiance to Christ and the Kingdom of God trumps allegiance to a nation. We should therefore not commit idolatry with the nation or the people as was done in Nazi Germany or during many nations during World War I. People like Dietrich Bonhoeffer who defied their own nations are rightfully regarded as ethics heroes and spiritual examples.
I notice that there are many views on the USA among its own citizens. Some people say the United States is exceptional. Others say the USA is a Christian nation founded on Christian principles. I am skeptical about both claims.
There is an interesting article in the Federalist, where John Daniel Davidson disagrees with Vivek Ramaswamy about the meaning of American citizenship.
https://thefederalist.com/2025/12/18/vivek-ramaswamy-is-wrong-about-american-identity-and-wrong-about-america
Vivek Ramaswamy sees American citizenship as propositional:
“Americanness isn’t a scalar quality that varies based on your ancestry. It’s binary: Either you’re an American or you’re not. You are an American if you believe in the rule of law, in freedom of conscience and freedom of expression, in colorblind meritocracy, in the U.S. Constitution, in the American dream, and if you are a citizen who swears exclusive allegiance to our nation.”
For JD Davidson that is not enough as the ideals in the founding document are not as universal as they seem:
“The propositions themselves, however, are not enough. They are necessary but not sufficient, because they rely for their coherence on a set of cultural folkways and attitudes that are particular to a people and a place, and which emerged from a specific historical context—distinctly Christian and English. The source of our liberty, for example, is not our Founding documents (great as they are) but our folkways. The former emerged from the latter, not the other way around. “
The point here is that the universal ideals Ramaswamy claims are at the heart of American identity only make sense in light of English common law, constitutionalism, and Christianity — all of which belong to a particular people from a particular place. Without that context, they become meaningless. Generations of certain people, descendants mostly of the English, brought forth a nation that reflected and codified their particular religious beliefs, morality, language, customs, and folkways. They were not making a proposition for a universalist political project. Indeed, the Founders told us who America is for: ourselves and our posterity. John Jay famously described America as “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.”
Personally I have more sympathy for Vivek Ramaswamy’s view, as John D Davidson does not seem to leave a lot of room for Hindus from India, and his views tend to approach the nationalisms that developed all over nineteenth century Europe. However given the assimilation failure of Somali’s in Minneapolis his view is not entirely without merit either.
Your opening paragraphs repeat in long form what I already state – for Christians, our primary allegiance is to Christ.
Being grateful for the gift we’ve been given is hardly idolatry. I suppose “pure” patriotism could be, but the point I’m arguing is American patriotism is a piece apart because there are so many nationalities here, and the allegiance is to an idea more than a people (sort of Ramaswamy’s point).
Your idea that America isn’t exceptional or based on Christian principles is very typically European (or, frankly, probably global). It’s kind like saying the Romans weren’t exceptional. The more we become like the rest of the world, the less true, of course. The once great institutions we had are now laughing stocks, and it seems to have happened in such a short period of time.
I suppose you could say that the “Christian” element is what was coming out of Europe anyway, but the earliest settlers were getting away from the state run religions to practice faith in the way they read the scriptures as individuals (or smaller groups of individuals). When the time came to form a nation, they acknowledged God, and, to restate, it’s the opening statement of our founding document. I don’t know how anybody argues otherwise. If they were just able men bent on forming a government to their own ends, they could have allied with any of the other continental powers to do so, adopted the divine right of kings mentality, and run it how they wanted, same as those other “Christian” nations.
Not to cast aspersions, the Christian west has done a better job generally of implementing equal treatment of lesser than other areas, but religions were never the perennial power brokers here the way they were in Europe, and there was no formal class system. The Christian concept of not lording power over others established in how we run things.
As to you thinking citizenship is not worth the effort being in a blue state, may I leave you with this (this thing was never a guarantee, yet…):
https ://youtu.be/VdGUlS0ZI78?si=lMXf0JM-uIYNnEsl
Here’s a report on something I’ve wondered about for quite a while:
A Third Of All DC District Judges Are Foreign Born
Why are foreigners so high up in the judiciary? And why are foreigners similarly so prominent in the media and among thought leaders? Are these simply people from Mandarin cultures that are good at taking tests? They seem to fit into the Ilhan Omar mold of wanting to rearrange the furniture in the house as soon as they move in. And these judges seem to have little or no experience actually practicing law or serving on the bench. This is part of the globalist effort?
Focusing on the article you linked, of these judges you describe as “foreigners,” one was born in Jamaica, one was born in India and arrived in the US at age 1, one born in Uruguay and moved here as a child (age not given), one was born in Canada and immigrated as an adult, and one in Trinidad & Tobago, immigrated at age 16. Seems implausible that any of them grew up speaking Mandarin. They all appear to be US citizens.
Here’s a more startling statistic: Two-thirds of Silicon Valley tech workers are immigrants! Related to your Mandarin hypothesis,
“With its level of diversity, a 53% majority of Silicon Valley residents spoke a language other than English at home in 2023, including 20% that spoke Chinese and 9% that spoke Vietnamese. In the tech sector, 41% of Silicon Valley’s highly-educated tech workers were from China or India, compared to 30% from the U.S. Overall, 70% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher in technical occupations were foreign-born, with the largest shares coming from India (23%) and China (18%).”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/two-thirds-of-silicon-valley-tech-workers-are-immigrants-study/ar-AA1AS325
Engineering is different from policy making and judging federal cases.
I used “mandarin” in the sense of the Chinese social class that were the clerks and officials in Chinese imperial governments who had to pass tests to get their well-paid and highly regarded position. The historical source of the Tiger Mom phenomenon.
in many ways the first meritocratic bureaucracy in the world. Sad that the same civilization spawned the Cultural Revolution that demonized education culture and accomplishment…
My theory is that there are many immigrants in certain lines of business (software development, medicine, dentistry, law) because the public education system is such an unbelievable third world level disaster.
Also universities love foreign students who are paying full fare in tuition without receiving scholarships.
See, e.g., the Muslim kid who was killed in the Brown University shooting. And wasn’t the idea of bringing foreign students to U.S. universities supposed to have them return to their native countries to spread the good news about western culture and democracy? They don’t go home.
The company I currently work for typically posts 3 junior programming slots a year. This past year over 11k people applied for those 3 slots in under a week. It’s neat how if you discriminate against whites and Americans the resumes for those slots pile up.
I have spent years working for companies that discriminate. It isn’t a secret what is going on. I’ve been in meetings where people openly compare notes on who is closest to getting a green card. I’ve been personally replaced by four people and then grilled by coworkers on who was replacing me. Oh, is it Indians? By an Indian coworker. And then told point blank by that same coworker that I was being discriminated against because I’m American. The guy was mad because I’m competent and his base assumption was that my replacements were not. He was right. All 4 people got fired within months. My replacement ended up being an Indian I had spent a year training. The thing is, ethnicity isn’t relevant. Indian or American is basically interchangeable. The Indians are equivalent, not better. Or worse. I’ve trained both, and there isn’t any difference. The only real difference is the pay.
When you can dangle a green card over someone’s head, the pay magically gets lower. I estimate that the average green card is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of a million dollars reduced pay. The thing is, if you can shut Americans out of junior professional jobs en masse, you can legitimately claim 10 years down the road that there aren’t enough senior Americans to take the jobs. By design. You can hand wave stuff like the cultural tendency to steal IP, even when strongly discouraged at point of firing (you would not believe the number of people who are actually competent programmers who get fired for uploading their code to personal GitHub hub accy, despite strong, enforced corporate incentives not to do so.) or subcontracting to people who do your work for you, or faking interviews.
Culture does actually matter. I cannot count the number of times that I have been the one pointing out basic shit like the offshore team hasn’t submitted a single line of code in the last six months to the guy hub repo. Not one single line. You have a 40 person offshore team that hasn’t done a single line of code in the last six months! Or maybe one of them has but it’s the only female on the team. The incredible cultural differences in sexism between countries are incredible. Cultural differences, and casteism. Personally, I ignore casteism because I don’t even wanna get into that. But it’s a thing and it’s there and it matters when it comes to results.
The problem isn’t that Americans don’t know how to do the job. It’s that they’re not allowed to even have those jobs. If you can’t get your toe in the door, you can’t ever claim to have any experience and you can’t ever claim to be senior, and that means that the only senior programmers are the ones that come from foreign countries. This is a huge problem!
Here is some ewthics news regarding Judge Hannah Dugan.
https://reason.com/volokh/2025/12/18/wisconsin-judge-hannah-dugan-found-guilty-of-obstructing-federal-agents-seeking-to-make-an-immigration-arrest-outside-her-courtroom/
Hard to be a judge when you’re (as they are so fond of saying of Trump) a convicted felon. I’m going to assume she’ll get probation and her pension.
The Future of the Left in the 21st Century (Part Two)
Poor Ruy Teixeira, he thinks pillars of the left’s agenda are bugs rather than features. He says the left needs to address bad governance and social chaos and unfettered illegal immigration if they want to win elections. Hah! Chaos and open borders are just two of the means of achieving their ends of single party rule. Come on, Ruy, you can do better. Has the left punched your card yet? Does anyone even invite you to parties anymore?
Responding to JM (not an open forum submission):
Here’s hoping the Cher treatment works! I know there are a lot of people who find the holidays a particularly depressing time of year… and it is also true that we will soon be past the solstice and the light will be returning…something that always cheers me up, living as I do in a rather dark and rainy part of the world in the winter season.
Snow can be lovely… walking the dogs in the rain on a foggy day not so lovely…and sometimes our female Akita just refuses to leave the porch on such days until the call of nature can no longer be ignored.
Jack,
I have a deer kidney from which I was going to make some jerky pet treats.
Would Spuds have any interest?
Absolutely!
I’ll get started on it tonight and will be in touch.
Paris officials have decided to scale back the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration on the Champs-Elysees due to security concerns. The usual large midnight concert has been cancelled.
Authorities will replace it with a pre-recorded video broadcast. Fireworks will still light up the Arc de Triomphe at midnight, but officials have urged people to watch from home.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/world/did-paris-cancel-new-year-s-eve-celebrations-on-champs-elysees-fact-check-on-security-threat-claims/ar-AA1SkMIU?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
“Your idea that America isn’t exceptional or based on Christian principles is very typically European (or, frankly, probably global). It’s kind like saying the Romans weren’t exceptional. The more we become like the rest of the world, the less true, of course. The once great institutions we had are now laughing stocks, and it seems to have happened in such a short period of time.“
Being exceptional is always a challenge but never a given. I can say that the Dutch Republic in the seventeenth century was exceptional due to the religious freedom, plus the accomplishments in various areas (commercial, military, arts and science). That role was taken over by the English in the eighteenth century.
Was the USA exceptional during the Biden administration? If so, how? The Biden administration wanted to be more like Western European countries including on free speech. I would dare to say the the UK under Margaret Thatcher was better than the USA under Biden.
The acronym MAGA sums it up: Make America Great Again. It recognizes that the USA is not so great today, and it is a call to restore the greatness of the USA of the past.
Axolotl on an Aristotle.
Got it immediately.
Do you love axolotls as much as I do? What a fascinating anomaly they are!
I know my daughter loves them. Her favorite stuffed animal after the little black dog she’s had since infancy is an axolotl.