Both sides want America to be great. Isn't that weird?

I don't want America to be "great," I want America to be GOOD. And those two things are very, very different.

great and good can each mean a few things, i guess, so we have to be careful in expressing our positions and interpreting other people. and of course everyone wants something at least a little different. we've never had an America where everyone could be happy.

I think the whole common concept of greatness needs to be reevaluated and rethought.

i wish that we were more willing to learn from the systems and examples of other countries.

Sure, but the whole concept of greatness we get from history is largely based on conquest, which amounts to a mass form of mugging. If you look at the "great" men and nations of history, their accomplishments are usually built on violence and theft and deception, with a sprinkling of rape on top. Those are the narcissists who have shaped our "civilization"'--the borders, the laws--the most.

there's a lot of evil in humankind, and that won't change anytime soon. but there's courage and vision and selflessness, sometimes all in a great individual. that trifecta could make a great leader or just someone who'll change the world by some simple act. i like to think that almost everyone has that potential. so to me, greatness is around us every day. we can't evolve to be better any faster than nature allows, but we can be more intentional in being our 'greatest' selves and encouraging it in our kids.