John Edwards

The Two Americas Problem

"The idea of America—real, fundamental equality: equality of opportunity, equality of culture, equality of respect—matters more than ever."

John Hope Franklin

The Cover-Up

"Perhaps the American idea was not so admirable."

Frank Gehry

Building Dreams

"As I think of what's gone on in the years I've been on this planet, I wonder why great architecture isn't considered an important shaper of the American idea."

Milton Glaser

The Rise and Fall of the American Idea

(A graphic)

Amy Gutmann

A Dual Mission

"Leaving the fate of our democracy in the hands of a diverse and constantly changing American citizenry that is guided by constitutional democratic principles is perhaps the most enduring American idea of all."

Sam Harris

God-Drunk Society

"America is now a nation of 300 million souls, wielding more influence than any people in human history—and yet 240 million of these souls apparently believe that Jesus will return someday and orchestrate the end of the world with his magic powers."

Ron Haviv

Darfuri Girls

(A photograph)

Arianna Huffington

Pursuit of Happiness

"The promise of unlimited opportunity has given way to rampant narcissism and misplaced perfectionism (and the disappointed self-loathing that inevitably follows the search for a flawless self)."

T. D. Jakes

The World's Pulse

"The question is: Do we live to serve ourselves alone, or shall our lives bear witness to something larger?"

Ed Kashi

Denied: The Crisis of America's Uninsured

(A photograph)

Alex Katz

Vivien with Baseball Hat

(A painting)

George L. Kelling and James Q. Wilson

Decency

"In thinking about the American idea, we decided to revisit a concept we first took up in these pages 25 years ago."

Ray Kurzweil

Frontiers

"The American idea is to push beyond frontiers, whether in geography (Manifest Destiny), science (splitting the atom, DNA), invention (the telephone, the lightbulb, the airplane, the Internet), industry (mass production), music (jazz, rock and roll), or popular culture (Hollywood)."

Tim LaHaye

Godless Society

"America's uniqueness is based in the Christian consensus of the Founding Fathers, who penned documents guaranteeing religious and personal freedom for all."

Stan Lee

America Is a Dream

(A cartoon)

Bernard Lewis

Second Acts

"I still remember my first two impressions of Americans, derived from my wartime comrades."

Sally Mann

Untitled

(A photograph)

Harvey C. Mansfield

You Can Have it Too

"The future of the American idea is clouded by the fact that the proof of its success was never intended to be conclusive. "

Greil Marcus

Autocracy and Freedom

"This spring, in the San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, there was a full-page ad for sheets. It showed a black woman and a white man rolling happily in their bed..."

Judith Martin

Republic of Manners

"European etiquette was all very well for those snobs and sycophants in class-stratified societies, but it would not do for the proud citizens of an enlightened and free republic."