Let’s Get Serious About Patriotism, By Ira Chernus

[Echo In Light]

Let’s Get Serious About Patriotism
by Ira Chernus

The New York Times and the Washington Post have put the Democrats on notice: If you want to become president, patriotism still counts. Whether by coincidence or some conspiratorial design, both of the bellwethers of the political center gave the issue of patriotism front page coverage this past weekend.

Democrats may be tempted to dismiss the patriotism ploy as a distraction from the really important issues of the campaign. Glenn Greenwald, for one, has already denounced the Post article as “small-minded, juvenile gossip” about “tiny sideshows” like lapel pins and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Yes, it’s a shame that the the media reduce the issue of patriotism to silly symbols like lapel pins and the Pledge of Allegiance. But the fact is that patriotism is largely about emotion, and emotions are triggered by symbols that can easily seem, to outsiders, trivial and silly. To focus on the triviality of the symbol and miss the meaning behind it is a dangerous mistake. On Election Day, it can get you killed.

So those of us who desperately want to see McCain lose in November would do well to thank the Times and the Post. Regardless of their motives (which do deserve to be questioned), they have given the Democrats a well-timed reminder: Like it or not, patriotism and its symbols still matter to millions of Americans — perhaps enough to swing an election that we all thought, not long ago, the super-patriot Republicans were absolutely doomed to lose.

Continued:
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/05/06/8755/

"The best propaganda is that which, as it were, works invisibly, penetrates the whole of life without the public having any knowledge of the pro-propagandistic initiative." ~ Joseph Goebbels

[HereSince1628]

1. Fine, let us move past 'Americanism' to Patriotism

Let's be honest and admit that supporting the demolition of the Bill of Rights is UNpatriotic and the blemish of that cannot be hidden with a made in China pin of the stars and stripes.

Let's be honest and say that restoring the balance of powers set out in the Constitution is a patriotic endeavor while establishing an executive branch that is free to operate outside the law is Unpatriotic and the blemish of that cannot be hidden with a made in China pin of the stars and stripes.

Let's be honest and say that jingoism and the use of the US military to leverage the presidency into a dictatorship by the commander in chief is Unpatriotic and the blemish of that cannot be hidden with a fender magnet that claims support for the troops.

[wellstone dem]

2. I will never forget

Senator Obama's speech over the weekend where he talked about the Bill of Rights, when he talked about what is truly good about America, and he stated, "That's my patriotism." An amazing moment.

[Echo In Light]

3. Bump