America First Objectivism: A Call for Unity in Reason
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The America First movement is undeniably relevant to current politics, with life-or-death concerns over broken borders and the incompatibilities between cultures. It's a deeper conversation about rights: the right to claim and own your space, to keep distance from those you fundamentally disagree with, versus the right to assemble and bridge those gaps. America is foundationally a Christian country; that's historical fact. As an atheist, I see no point in denying it. Christianity still holds real importance for so many Americans today. If I'm going to say I love the country that raised me, how can I pretend I don't love Christians? When I was hungry and scraping by in early adulthood, carving out my own path, it was Christians who fed me, not the government.
Glancing at other countries, I don't see one that's more admirable. That said, there are clear inconsistencies between my philosophy and mainstream Christian thought, and I'm eager to explore them, maybe even find some resolutions. Raised humbly by faithful Christian family in the Appalachian mountains, how did I end up intrigued by Christian mysticism, Paganism, and eventually atheism? It's taken years of self-reflection to get here, but I've come to see an objective subjectivity in nature and the human condition. Man exists alone amid his own species, essentially the god of his world. Yet every day, he's confronted with opposition to his desires and judgments, a constant reminder that he's not truly godlike. He lacks full dominion and influence. Some rage against this reality. Others turn to theories that we're made in the image of a higher god, one that can't be human because humans prove so insufficient, so it must exist in separate heavens or dimensions, with us as the subservient ones.
Another layer is the psychosis around loss — losing loved ones, losing freedom, all tied to the emergence of death. It's a dissociative coping mechanism against the raw pain and fear of eternal separation. One criticism I have of the church is pushing literal visions of fiery hells on children, or reliance on false powers, especially if religions are truly metaphorical efforts by people to build communities of power. From an atheist view, faith always reduces to man. Man creates god. Man builds religion. Man yearns for a transcendental, parent-like deity. Man invents fables to fill god's absence. He conflates personal experiences into "divine contact" when it's really profound human connection. Outsourcing spiritual phenomena to external deities disrespects that human bond. Still, there's value in appreciating the beauty of religious expression and protecting it from this perspective because, ultimately, it's about people.
Even so, admitting doubt in this framework is often seen as abhorrent by most America First proponents. That's why Jangled Jester is proposing America First Objectivists. This isn't meant to insult or unsettle faithful America First neighbors; quite the opposite. It's a genuine call to collaborate. I've already expressed my willingness to accommodate people I don't perfectly align with, as long as we're united by some larger underlying principle. An atheist can't manufacture Christian faith, so America First Objectivists is about unifying on the grounds of reason. It might be tough for Christians to engage with objectivist philosophy, but the alternative for me would be redirecting energy toward space exploration — volunteering for off-world service and backing habitats beyond Earth. Having grown up and fallen in love with America, I'd prefer to build an oath here and unite on colonizing these intergalactic societies together.
For now, it's not simple to jump in a spaceship and set up a thriving dome on the Moon or Mars. These are worthy projects underway, but humanity isn't there yet. I don't grieve living in America or sharing it with my Christian neighbors. In fact, I enjoy the challenge they bring to my network. The critical feedback loop sharpens me up to a point. That point arrives when secularism erodes, if American atheists are forced to align with mystic philosophy, or by allowing terrorists to enter and attack women for showing their hair, or our moderate political figures with American influence being assassinated simply because they don't agree with a agendas involving force. This is where America First Objectivism comes in as a safeguard.
What is Objectivism?
Objectivism boils down to these core principles:
Metaphysics: objective reality. It often gets mistaken for paranormal stuff, but its ominous vibe comes from encompassing everything unknown. It turns into a realm of curiosities as people fill in the blanks for what's unexplained or beyond our grasp.
Epistemology: exploring knowledge. How do we acquire it? Can it be measured and systematized? What are the limits, and how do we separate fact from fiction, belief from opinion?
Epistemology: exploring knowledge. How do we acquire it? Can it be measured and systematized? What are the limits, and how do we separate fact from fiction, belief from opinion?
Ethics: self-interest. Where else do values originate? A man could preach all day on a mountaintop that his spirit comes from the Lord, but only he and his church buddies show up. There's no evidence morals come from anywhere but man, despite the diversity in religious and secular forms. Ethics ultimately ties to self-interest because we can only truly think and act as individual beings.
Politics: capitalism. A free-market society where rights are expressed without force. As Ayn Rand put it, "In a capitalist society, all human relationships are voluntary. Men are free to cooperate or not, to deal with one another or not, as their own individual judgments, convictions, and interests dictate. They can deal with one another only in terms of and by means of reason, i.e., by means of discussion, persuasion, and contractual agreement, by voluntary choice to mutual benefit."
For more, here's a solid overview from the Ayn Rand Institute:
America First through Objectivism
The America First mindset centers on secure borders, minimal government interference, a free market, a respected Constitution and, as this piece suggests, objectivism. What are the unifying American values? An objectivist take on America First means anchoring the nation in those principles: objective reality, reasoned epistemology, self-interested ethics, and capitalist politics. America's metaphysical landscape is rich with diverse theories, and that's something we protect. We draw the world's top scientists here to push boundaries in ideas and tech. Every citizen should be encouraged to think and speak independently. Politics is everyone's right to shape how the society is built.
Theology itself has space for doubt and skepticism, and that warrants open discussion. Early American settlers included deists, nonreligious types, and unconventional Christians, laying the groundwork for our secular diversity. America was envisioned as a hub of discovery, accommodating those who don't fit neatly into Abrahamic traditions. At the same time, traditional Christian values have been foundational in constructing much of the country, opening doors for collaboration.
America First Objectivism creates room for both religious and nonreligious folks, unlike some Christian groups that don't explicitly welcome skeptics or untraditional thinkers. We can unite on shared ground like capitalism and the pursuit of knowledge. Success depends on America First Christians meeting us on central principles and showing openness to shared citizenship. This kind of partnership could accelerate American space ambitions. It might take a mix of Christian and atheist leaders to engineer the tech that launches us to the Moon, Mars, and the stars.
Uniting under America First values prioritizes citizens in national decisions, cutting back on global meddling while our own people suffer. No more excessive taxes funneled to elite government parties or foreign conflicts like those involving Israel that don't concern us. America First is also fueled by a thirst for knowledge and free thought. These communities tolerate speech because they prioritize debate over domination. Wide-open borders aren't true freedom — they invite force when terrorists and America-haters slip in, and yes, such people exist. Excessive taxation for government or foreign gain isn't America First. Condemning whiteness and demanding reparations for ancestral crimes persecutes the core of America.
The Right to Change: Physicalist Magick
Linking America First, objectivism, and physicalist magick, this is an open invitation for any American citizen to join. You're free to demand secure borders, condemn government overreach and heavy taxation, call out hatred toward white men, or hatred toward Christians and atheists alike. You're free to change your mind, grow, join the movement, connect with others, share info, and form new conclusions because you're American.
Physicalist magick rests on the reality of change. Whether it stems from God or reduces to inorganic molecular shifts, transformation is evident everywhere, even if deities aren't empirically present. Claiming such deities are verifiably real is dishonest without earthly proof. Americans can reject religious ideologies personally while respecting their faithful neighbors' space and teaming up to secure borders for everyone. We need each other; a wave of change is vital to root out the domestic violence and disdain corroding America's heart.
America First Objectivism provides that space for transformation. Life's hero journey is packed with twists, lessons exposing new facets of existence and self-questions. Americans have a rare freedom to explore their minds and identities in ways forbidden elsewhere. We must honor this, or the nation loses its essence and is no longer America. Reckless immigration turns the land into a battlefield for outsiders who refuse to assimilate, mirroring conflicts in other nations without U.S. enforcement. To safeguard this freedom, America itself must be protected.
If global residents want in on the American movement, they must do it legally. The powers of transformation can be abused. Skirting immigration systems risks letting in the world's worst elements, who might not evolve with us but invade to impose their forceful nature. America First has been labeled supremacist in the past, but harnessing the power to redefine what a nation and its people mean can restore us to excellence.