national pride
natalie maines spoke her mind, (in 2003, that she was ashamed that the president responsible for the war in iraq was from her home state), and there were legion trying to run the dixie chicks out of country music for it. (funny, that within five years, 4 out of 5 americans would be polled to essentially agree).
michelle obama spoke hers, (last spring, suggesting she was once again proud of her country for the first time in her adult life), and immediately there were wide and vociferous calls for her husband's candidacy to be sunk because of it. (yet, when you do the math, her adult life essentially began at the close of the reagan administration, and if i understand the right-wing punditry clearly enough, that's not such a rare or unreasonable point of view).
so over the weekend i had the displeasure to read some extremely blunt and petty comments to the editor of the local paper to the effect that these readers were no longer proud to be americans owing to the results of the recent election.
first point: both natalie and michelle made very clear mention of their pride related to the actions of their country, not the essence of their nationality, and there's a huge distinction to be made about that. (or, put another way, i'm not proud of the unnecessary roughness penalty that essentially cost my patriots a win over indiannapolis the other day, but i'm damn proud to be a pats fan even so).
second point: both natalie and michelle didn't say anything that their detractors don't also believe. (as mentioned above, 4 out of 5 voters disapproved of bush by the time this past election rolled around, including copious quantities of republicans, and a lot of these republicans are also very outspoken about their nostalgia for the reagan era, when they recall things used to be good for the party and the country).
the lesson would appear to be to take care in characterizing ones patriotism. never say "ashamed". always choose comparatives like "more", as in , "i've never been more proud". and always, always, always, respect john mccain's better example: "my president". but i still go back to every quote i've ever read that reaffirms the truth that opposition to ones government is very often the very essence of patriotism.
i'm proud we can all disagree.
michelle obama spoke hers, (last spring, suggesting she was once again proud of her country for the first time in her adult life), and immediately there were wide and vociferous calls for her husband's candidacy to be sunk because of it. (yet, when you do the math, her adult life essentially began at the close of the reagan administration, and if i understand the right-wing punditry clearly enough, that's not such a rare or unreasonable point of view).
so over the weekend i had the displeasure to read some extremely blunt and petty comments to the editor of the local paper to the effect that these readers were no longer proud to be americans owing to the results of the recent election.
first point: both natalie and michelle made very clear mention of their pride related to the actions of their country, not the essence of their nationality, and there's a huge distinction to be made about that. (or, put another way, i'm not proud of the unnecessary roughness penalty that essentially cost my patriots a win over indiannapolis the other day, but i'm damn proud to be a pats fan even so).
second point: both natalie and michelle didn't say anything that their detractors don't also believe. (as mentioned above, 4 out of 5 voters disapproved of bush by the time this past election rolled around, including copious quantities of republicans, and a lot of these republicans are also very outspoken about their nostalgia for the reagan era, when they recall things used to be good for the party and the country).
the lesson would appear to be to take care in characterizing ones patriotism. never say "ashamed". always choose comparatives like "more", as in , "i've never been more proud". and always, always, always, respect john mccain's better example: "my president". but i still go back to every quote i've ever read that reaffirms the truth that opposition to ones government is very often the very essence of patriotism.
i'm proud we can all disagree.
posted by kad barma at 10:13 AM
2 Comments:
Kad Barma,
I agree with what you say about not questioning people's patriotism, but one point I always want to throw into the debates about Nathalie Maines and her 1st amendment rights is that we BOTH share those rights.
She can express herself any way she wants (as can Michelle Obama or anyone else) but I can express MY rights by, say, not buying Dixie Chicks records or by saying I don't like her views.
I feel like that point gets lost sometimes...
-gp
We'll be looking for the I [heart] Dubya bumper sticker in the parking garage ;-)
Yeah, I know, the first amendment makes no distinction for reasonable. I just wish the rights insisted upon by some weren't so punitive and intent on censorship, as opposed to positive expressions of their own beliefs. As in, the difference between putting a "Natalie, I'm proud Bush is from my country/state/city/bowling league" sticker on ones car, instead of "Natalie, you ignorant slut", or similar, to paraphrase SNL's "Point-Counterpoint".
As in, "I believe verbatim in the bible's story of creation" instead of "I won't let your kid read about the science of evolution in the public schools because it offends my religion".
There's a difference.
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