"American Patriotism" and the Wright Controversy.

[Blue State Bandit]

I wonder what John Adams would say about this:

American patriotism requires an avenue for open dissent.

Open for discussion and civil disagreement.

As one is free to say, so others are free to embrace or reject;

without fear of persecution!

Without these parameters, American Patriotism can not exist.

And tyranny finds a foothold.

It is discomforting that many have still to learn this, an that I know.

With all of the questions, and innuendos, and the shear magnitude of how Barack Obama has responded to the drumbeat of accusations questioning his patriotism, a loose draft of this phrase began rattling in my head. And I thought "someone needs to express something like this".

Then the passport security breach was brought to light. And these thoughts took form.

I sight Adams due to his judicial view of equal justice, and how it informed him on open dissent (and of course the HBO special). I also sight him due to his opposition to slavery, one of the few delegates to the Second Continental Congress who owned no slaves.

Patriotism and racism, both portrayed in the Wright scandal du jour, fed the ideas in this phrase. I just never had anybody put it to me this way, and it just came out.

I conclude that American Patriotism, as opposed to the types of patriotism most other nations practice (i.e. to the Crown, or Sharia Law) requires one to speak out when he/she sees his leaders making bad decisions. It wasn't till after our original example, that some others adopted versions of it.

Dissent against a government can and is at the core of American Patriotism. That dissent allows for the growth necessary to peruse the task given to us in the Declaration; to form a more perfect union.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Independence
2nd Continental Congress
1776

American Patriotism requires us to provide constructive criticism, and that task is stymied when we have to confront things like ruthless opponents, while question whether you private information could be used to silence or destroy you.

This is how I see the picture that the opponents of Barack Obama have tried to paint for America, and my response is the opening phrase.

As to the last line, a huge portion of America does not hold as many pieces to the puzzle of how fucked up our country's situation is. Not like bloggers and people active in retail grassroots politics. It sad that we have to wage such an effort, but that’s American Patriotism.

This is what I have taken away from the Obama/Wright controversy.

[Window]

1. Excellent. Thanks for sharing.

:kick:

[polichick]

2. K&R

[whatchamacallit]

3. No man, you don't get it

Because the brain dead republicans are sure to go into hyper-patriot mode, we have to jettison our values, don our Jingo Jumpsuits, and dance to their perverted music!
:sarcasm:

[stellanoir]

4. Thanks

I hadn't learned of this quotation until yesterday morning, which should have been shouted from every rooftop across this country over the last week.

"Listen to what King said about the Vietnam War at his own Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on Feb. 4, 1968:

"God didn't call America to engage in a senseless, unjust war. . . . And we are criminals in that war. We've committed more war crimes almost than any nation in the world, and I'm going to continue to say it. And we won't stop it because of our pride and our arrogance as a nation. But God has a way of even putting nations in their place." King then predicted this response from the Almighty: "And if you don't stop your reckless course, I'll rise up and break the backbone of your power.""

Lord knows the corporate media wouldn't expose the obvious hypocrisy.

Dolts.

The imaginary Ipod in my cranium to which I oft refer shuffles to Dylan's "What's a sweetheart like you doing in a dump like this. . .?" Wherein he sings "Patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings. . ."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht-CJTvVGmo

hmmmmmmm

K & R'd

[Blue State Bandit]

5. Great find!

our ability to dissent is just as important to our republic as our right to vote.

[OhioBlue]

6. K&R