I called my friend and asked if he would like to go for a short day hike. He was surprised and stated he had appointments already scheduled. I said, “Fine, perhaps another day,” but he was clearly put out and tactfully expressed so.  Bewildered, I eventually realized I had acted without the requisite upper class decorum for scheduling appointments. My friend came from middle class beginnings, but had migrated to the upper class, whose customs I poorly understood.

One great aspect of America is that it is not a class-based society. We focus on the middle class, because it is the highest ideal, a vast majority who are neither poor nor rich. This is virtuous as wisdom says, “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Prov. 30:8-9) This is not to expunge the profit motive’s reward for diligent work and ingenuity. Communist ideas of equality are unjust, never achieved in reality, conflict with Scripture and God’s sovereignty. Income is the starting point for distinguishing classes, but there are other important criteria, such as credentials and culture. Credentials refer to educational achievements, qualifications and occupational status. These relate to income as evidence shows that those with college degrees consistently earn more than those without it. Of course, those with years of experience or in upper levels of management and responsibility gain in career status. Culture is an esoteric criteria pertaining to attitude, mindset, and self-defined customs, which can be an overriding aspect in certain societies, e.g. Britain or India. 

“For scholars, the value of any definition depends on the question they are trying to answer.” (“Defining the Middle Class…”, Brookings.edu) Such poppycock and relativism is popular in our day of media bias and censorship, as a Political/Media Cabal declares war on the upper class, but wages it against the middle and lower classes. Obama vowed to “Tax the Rich” and set the bar at $250,000 for a working couple. Their aim was to break the strength of America which resides in a large robust middle class that welcomes new comers from the other classes, as well as, ascension of its ranks into the upper class, with no barriers or restraints from government. What is the historical context of American classes? 

The American classes are fluid, but with variant viscosity. Our culture is self-defined and self-determined as the founders envisioned and structured through liberty. Humanists forces seek control and power to subvert freedom for fascist/racist and socialist/communists purposes. Virtue and character flourish in the middle classes, where families seek a vocation and residence where they can raise children capable of attaining comparable or better circumstances. The true middle class is broad enough to include all who work and embrace honesty, selflessness, respect for others, humility, liberty, hope, love, justice, truth and tolerance, (American ideals embodied in Judeo-Christian morality and the Founding Documents). Long live the middle class!