Do you feel America has lost touch with ...

I think that with time tradition is bound to get a bit lost. Me and my family do the holidays in a very traditional way and I wouldn't change a thing. I hope that my children pass that down to their children. I think in order to keep culture and religion strong traditions need to be honored.

I suppose the answer to this question revolves around the question, "What Is Tradition"? I remember reading a story about Pioneer times in the US, called, "The Neighbourhood Needle", in which there was only ONE needle for the entire town, for women (and men), to do sewing with! I believe that this "tradition" has almost disappeared, as most people who do sewing can afford their own needles....and, (usually), sewing machines, as well! The most basic tradtion in the USA is, I believe, FAIRNESS FOR ALL. I remember reading, a few years ago, that POPE JOHN PAUL II had said, "America Has Lost It's Soul". Now, I admired -- and still admire -- JOHN PAUL II above all other Popes I know about, (which is not too many, I'll admit. Growing up Jewish, we didn't study about too many Popes.) However, I felt I just HAD to answer this accusation. Mentioning first how much I admired John Paul II, (who had been in the Underground -- and later, a slave-labourer -- during WWII), I then mentioned that MOST Americans, though aware of all of the evil, sleazy, and greedy things going on in the USA, simply have decided these things are not what they want in THEIR lives. Sort of -- so I mentioned -- like JOHN NASH, in the film, "A Beautiful Mind", decided that, though he saw and heard very real-seeming people, that these were only hallucinations, and decided, quite definitely, to ignore them. So, yeah -- a lot of people in the US do not believe in the fairness and equality that the US Founding Fathers, (and Mothers!), tried to establish. Many people are just believing in "ME, ME, ME!", and not caring about others. But many, many other people still DO believe in the Founding Fathers & Mothers ideals of kindness, fairness, thrift, and "that all men, (and women!) are created Equal." NO WHERE ELSE ON EARTH will you find, (in a largely Christian country), stamps being issued to honour Channuka!) No where else on Earth, (in a largely Anglo country), will you find a stamp honouring Cinqo De Mayo! Or a stamp honouring the Chinese New Year! Even Israel is sort of a one-dimensional country -- honouring Jewish traditions and holidays, but, (very sadly to me), not Christian or Moslem ones. In the USA, we still have the guiding principles of the Constitution, ("All Men Are Created Equal", the right to worship as we please, the right to bear arms, etc.) With the three "High School Musical" films, (depicting a romance between a White Boy and a Peurto Rican Girl), making HUGE amounts of money for the Disney company, and a Black President-Elect now happily awaiting to take office, with women going into fields like medicine, fire-fighting, plumbing, and garbage-collecting, as well as high-fashion and other traditionally female occupations, I would say that the ideals and the traditions of fairness and equality are still vibrant and important for the majority of Americans. True, some things still aren't right, (like, for instance, forbidding Americas to freely gamble on the Internet -- which doesn't hurt other countries, and which kind of puts a slam on the American ideals of being "The Land of The Free and The Home of The Brave", (because one needs both freedom AND bravery to successfully gamble, on the Internet or anywhere else)e...see www.PokerPlayersAlliance.org, if you want to help!)....and many people have lost their jobs, and many veterans are NOT getting a fair deal in education or medical care, and the IRS is often just confiscatory....but thoughtful people realize these things, and are fighting to change them! I would say America's traditions are still vibrant and alive for most people. Human nature may be greedy....but we have that WRITTEN Constitution and Bill of Rights, to remind us where this country came from, and the ideals we SHOULD try to live up to. In my mind, traditons in the USA are quite vibrant...and trying to get even better!

YES ,And every thing else !

I don't believe America, on the whole, has lost touch with tradition. From celebrating birthdays, graduations, weddings, and other rites of passage, we continue to preserve the practice of observing and commemorating special occasions. We still celebrate Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (as traditional days when banks are closed and the mail is not delivered).

Tradition maintains a people's identity, and Americans keep their traditions going   (by saluting the flag, by celebrating national holidays, by reciting the pledge of allegiance at ball games, by voting on election day and by protesting and exercising our right to voice our opinions, by anticipating the throwing out of the first ball of the baseball season, by holding our breaths when the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, and by acknowledging the freedom to practice certain religious rituals, and others of all kinds....). These are some of the ways we identify ourselves as Americans.

If by tradition you are inferring 'religion', then, well, as with some of the above outward manifestations of faith, Americans are still a very traditionally religious people. In fact, the faithful continue to adorn themselves with religious jewelry (rosaries, medals, prayer beads, crosses, etc),  and wear traditional garb and attire that identify themselves as the faithful. Freedom of religion is a cornerstone of American tradition.

You must remember: to be American is toalso bring the cultural history of one's people to the American fabric, therefore, traditions are built upon from 'the old country' and added unto the American way of life. In this way, tradition continues anew and is constantly being reborn. American traditions are growing and expanding as new citizens come to our shores and create new traditions that become a part of our long held American traditions...

So, what is American tradition exactly, except what we all make it out to be. Old ways continue, but are being interwoven with the new. These will become traditions for future generations.

We are still a people who hold on to our traditions, even as we change, and even as we create new traditions.