Anti-Americanism has emerged as a key facet of the anti-Israel protests roiling American campuses, which “raises questions about how attached today’s youth are to their country.”
“Patriotism means love of country and is bolstered by a shared consciousness of what it means to be an American,” Wallsten and Citrin write. Many surveys have shown that liberals are less patriotic than conservatives and that young liberals are the least patriotic of all. That’s especially true of Gen-Z, now age 12 to 27.
Maybe Gen Zers will become more patriotic as they age, as previous generations have. But Wallsten and Citrin are skeptical.
“[G]lobalization and multiculturalism continue to gnaw away at the prioritization of a common national identity and the value of citizenship.”
“Unless the coming generations develop a sense of solidarity across political lines, perhaps through national service or improved civic education, the talk will not be about One America but about No America.”
Read the op-ed at TheHill.com.
