American Values?

Reflecting on 2005, it seems the saying "American Values" continues to get tossed around in political conversation like a broken, and warped record (you know, the vinyl-type). I thought that slogan would have ended after the 2004 election, but NOOooo. It's still being chimed in 2005.

So, what are our American Values? I tried to look up a list that clearly delineates our American Values doing a Google search, but I found many sites that touted that ambiguous term, but nothing definitive. So, I will now attempt to define what our American Values are from what is written, and by what our society and government advocate in our actions.

Life
With limits, of course. We may fight tooth and nail to make sure unborn lives are born into the world, regardless what the parents may want. However, a boy's life in Texas apparently wasn't worth saving, and because of a state law, was denied life-sustaining efforts because his parents were too poor. Another lady from Florida, in a neurologic coma for over a decade and virtually brain-dead, is worth saving, and worth shorting the president's vacation to create a law in an effort to save her life. And the death penalty is still tops in our commander-in-chief's book, so apparently not all lives are worth living.
Speaking of lives, living is a global affair and since we have decided that the US is into affecting the global affair, let's look at how we translate that American value of life to other countries and people of varying persuasions. Our Republican congress and executive branch encourages torture, even though they still think other countries should not do it. We started a war in Iraq because of the threat of WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction, I've learned), although we widely have used DU (Depleted Uranium, not Denver U.) battling 'terrorism' in Afganistan and Iraq. That can't be as bad as the WMD Saddam used against his people, could it?
I searched for "American value life" and the first entry was an article by a pro-life writer with what seemed to be a Republican slant.
He speaks of "unalienable" and "self-evident truth" about the right of life. Unalienable, which is similar to inalienable, means not to be separated, given away or taken away. What does that mean for life? Basically, we don't torture or cut up, enslave or destroy life, or do we?
The right to life is also seen as a self-evident truth, meaning requiring no proof or explanation. Although, you are required to have a birth certificate and other documents to prove you are you just to exist in the US, so apparently your self-evident right to life lasts as long as you don't have to provide docuementation for it. Or you are unborn, and have yet to draw your first breath, then you have more rights than many who are living, according to some. There is no law stating what is life and human, thus, anything could be life, animate or inanimate.
However, there are several federal and state laws that say when a life can be extinguished. Like in the event they are charged with some heinous crime against themselves or society (death penalty), or if they just don't have the money to keep themselves alive, or someone says that a life is not worth using life-sustaining measures (yes, it is a law in Texas, so Terry Shiavo's parents should be grateful they didn't live there or she'd only have 10 days).
So, LIFE is an American Value, as long as that life has some type of worth according to the powers that be.

Liberty
Again, with limits. Liberty is like freedom, so check out the value of freedom below, too. If you have enough $$$ to push your weight around, you can impose on other's liberties so that you can gain more liberty for yourself. It's fairly easy to buy off local governments, and even state and national ones, if you have enough $$$, know the right people, are related to the right families, and rub the right people the right way.
Sure, some people say that liberty can be saved by speaking up for your rights and liberties. Well, reviewing history and personal experiences, that doesn't always happen. Most of the time liberties happen because of $$$. This is a capitalist society. The value of $$$ trumps all other values, really.
A search for "American value liberty" brings up a vehicle blue book website, and two websites about money. That certainly explains a lot.

Pursuit of Happiness
With limits, of course. This is a very subjective value, really, and pursuing happiness in our capitalist society entails money. True happiness, of course, is an intrinsic concept, and only happens when one is content with who they are and what they possess inside. But that doesn't help our capitalist economy, so the pursuit of happiness has been translated to purchasing whatever it takes to make one feel happy. Sometimes that means purchasing a diamond for that special someone in your life, or getting the right clothes and style to fit in with a certain social group. It is all about what you can get to make you happy, that is the American way.

Defenders of the US Constitution
As long as it doesn't impede on anyone, especially the executive branch these days. The US Constitution must yield to our capitalist society, so if it doesn't, we'll just make some minor adjustments so it will.

Governed by the People, for the People
As long as those governing have incentive ($$$) to govern, whether that be from individuals, special interest groups, or companies.

Separation of Church & State
Separate as long as it doesn't offend anyone, but necessary to sway the people one way or another. Also, great backup for state to help faith-based (church) organizations when the state help just doesn't cut it.

Conglomeration of Corporation & State
I don't think it is fair to talk of the separation of church and state, and not mention the flip side of the coin with the cooperation of big companies and large special interest groups with their large coffers of money and government. Hey, it's that mentality of "if you rub my back, I'll rub yours" as long as there's no direct link from the government to a specific company. Or in the cases of Enron and Haliburton, direct links make for great $$$. Hey, this is a capitalist society.

Freedom
Of course, with limits. You can't allow one man's absolute freedom when it impedes another man's freedom, right? See liberty, above.
Oh, there was the issue with slavery over a century ago, but wasn't that taken care of with the civil war? What about women's freedoms? Ah, a woman is not a man, right? Oh, they are people, too? Women aren't slaves to their fathers or husbands? Women get individual rights and freedoms here, too? Oh, great, what are all these new Muslim immigrants going to do now? Oh, separation of church and state, right.

Equality
As long as someone is human and on US soil, they are apparently equal, regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, gender, handicap, etc. Oh, that's not the case, you say? There's a class system in the US? What's that? Rich people get more tax breaks than poor and middle class? Rich people get better health care? Rich people's lives are saved more than poor and middle class? Even natural disaster, which used to be the great equalizer, now still can wipe out the poor and middle class, while leaving the rich virtually unscathed? It's not about you, as much as it about who you know and how much $$$ you make.

Add your ideas of American Values
This is definitely not an exhaustive list of American Values. Please feel free to add your ideals of American Values by commenting to this post. Thanks!

Abstract List of American Values:
I want to also add this website for you to right-click and link in new window to read: American Family Values, a very altruistic view of values, which, from my experience, doesn't quite match with reality in the US. If you were truly to espouse those values and principles, you would easily get trampled on by the masses. Sure, you can make a noble attempt to live and pass such ideals to your children and grandchildren, but when you take these ideals to heart and use them in your daily life, you will see that all of these ideals are easily used against you.

These ideals make you weak in our society because they all (integrity, self-discipline, proactivity, empathy, humility) reveal your passiveness and honesty. If you want to get ahead, you will learn that integrity will not get you there, because the dishonest resume and interviewee will likely get the job and/or the sale. Self-discipline is good only to a point, because there will always be people who throw self-discipline to the wind to get their point across or to make sure they trample on you. If you don't throw some of your restraints away, they will continue to walk all over you. Heck, there are very few businesses out there that are proactive, so if you try to get them proactive, they will react, because that is just not the way it happens in the real world. Then, there's empathy--oh, I feel your pain. Sure, as long as feeling your pain can get them ahead in some way, otherwise you are just showing how gullible you are in our society. Finally, humility. The ability to fess up to your weaknesses and blunders, if you should ever acknowledge them. A noble trait, indeed, and one big NO-NO in our society if you don't want them to come back and haunt you for the rest of your life. Success in our capitalist society will always be given to someone else, if you don't stand up for yourself and lose these notions of congeniality.

Not all places in our society and business world work to keep those principles/values from being valuable. But, most do. Just look at our government for starters. Sigh.

American Democratic Values, as taught by the Michigan Board of Education. Great link for black and white ideals of our values, presented for youth of just about all ages.

Stale Conclusion:
Our American Values are not absolute, nor are they set in stone. They change like the ebb and flow of the ocean. The United States is not the utopian mecca that we all claim it is to be, and as we are all human and prone to error, that utopian society may never be met until we meet our Maker in heaven.