'Real' Americans

Someone on Twitter tried saying that they 'spoke for all REAL Americans', and then spewed some political BS.

I responded mostly by pointing out that I'm a real American, even a vet (I don't actually care to advertise it that much? But, like, most of the people with these political views really respect that so it can mean I'm not automatically dismissed as some liberal insult-of-the-day, so I'm not above using it). And that he didn't speak for me.

In thinking about it, though. I'm not sure that was the right tactic. Because if he claims to be speaking for 'REAL' Americans...

That implies there's what. Fake ones?

I suppose, to be generous, that attitude might mean he's drawing a line between legitimate votes and illegal ones (ie voter fraud).

But there's another, darker explanation. And it fits in rather nicely with the study I shared the other day.. Where support for certain policies changed when people were more aware of our growing minority population.

Its this idea that the only 'real' Americans are the ones who think like me. (and often, also, the ones who look and act like me.)

Those Detroit voters? Apparently not 'real' Americans. People who votes for Biden? Not 'real'. Throw those votes out, they don't count.

I made the point I did because that's pretty much BS. I'm a real American, and as a vet I can probably say I've done more for it than the person saying this. (unless they're also a vet, of course).

But there are plenty of other very real Americans. And it doesn't matter if they're a John or  Chad or a Karen or Becky. Or a Terrell, or DeShawn, Latisha, or Imani.

Or Syed, or Mahmud, or Rajasekhar, or Saraswathi. Or Tomer, or Esther. Or have last names like Nguyen or Park or Hashimoto or Lee. Or Wojtowicz,Valentino, and Romano. Or Blackfoot. Or Rodriguez, Garcia, and more. 

They're all 'real' Americans. US citizens living here. 

Heck, I was remembering the other day Chinese workers helped build our railroads some 150 years ago, and I'm sure there are Asian Americans whose families have been living here longer than Trump's. 

And their legal votes have just as much of a right to be counted as any other's.