The idea that the American public has been duped into believing itself committed to certain spiritual, political or philosophical ideals is one which, without prejudice, is insulting to the whole of the American public. A discussion which draws into consideration America's long history of disenfranchising minorities, mistreating immigrants, segregating African-Americans and continuing today to obstruct homosexual lifestyle discussions would seem to suggest that the motive exists, even for what Fiorina condescendingly refers to as the apolitical average American, to take a strong stance on such cultural matters. To suggest that such stances are only influenced by a dedication to political parties and platforms is to reduce the personal, emotional, ethnic, spiritual and cultural individualities that make this a diverse nation. The desire to argue for the existence of a homogenous political culture smacks not just of over-simplification, but of a concerted and one-sided political agenda. Indeed, the text diminishes its own credibility yet further by casting blame not on a political system as a whole, but on empowered individuals to who he attributes the whole falsehood of America's culture war. Recounting what the author libelously proclaims to be the cause of our imagined divide, Fiorina contends that "all in all, it may well be that the myth of a culture...

Fiorina argues that had Clinton served as a better role model, "the relationship between voter religiosity and candidate choice would be muted" (Fiorina 89). Of course, to write such a sentiment in 2005, in the midst of a boldly declarative Christian Bush Administration whose policies were both disastrous and arguably criminal, is utterly ludicrous and clearly motivated by political divides.
Fiorina's thesis is not just unfounded and overstated, but in fact, it flies in the face of logic within the context of a nation defined by its diversity. To the point, Fiorina imagines a sort of integration which has not taken place and which, by all logic, we are not likely to wish upon ourselves. In a democratic nation, cultural and ideological divides are meant to breed compromise, not conformity.

Works Cited

Fiorina, Morris P. Culture War? The Myth of a Polarized America. New York: Pearson Education, Inc., 2005.