Let’s go over the basics:
Man bites dog is news. Dog bites man is not news. Whether Barack Obama wears a flag lapel pin is beyond trivial.
The fact that a presidential candidate is wasting our time with an explanation of such nonsense is an example of the current level of public discourse. It also does not speak well of Obama. The banality of his observations on this matter boggle the mind. What kind of ego is it that feels we must listen to this blather? Enough.
A final reference to a famous quote. As Dr. Johnson told us: Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Dithering on about what constitutes a patriot is the last refuge of failed candidates.
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13 Comments
1. CTRepublican:“Dithering on about what constitutes a patriot is the last refuge of failed candidates.”
Your vitriol seems misplaced, Roger. Obama was asked about it, according to the article. Do you propose that he refuse to answer the question?
Oct 4, 2007 - 1:44 pm 2. Lem:I remember how Bush the father had Dukakis reciting the pledge of allegiance before every speech, before and after every meal and before going to bed
Oct 4, 2007 - 1:57 pm 3. Roger:Maybe you’re right, CTRepub… I guess I was just appalled that anyone could even ask or be concerned about anything so trivial. I mean why is this even a story?
Oct 4, 2007 - 1:58 pm 4. Lem:BTW – Google has scanned a Samuel Jhonson Dictionary.
Viva Google!
Oct 4, 2007 - 1:58 pm 5. Greenie:It’s a story because Matt Drudge rules your world. That and what Lem said.
Oct 4, 2007 - 2:04 pm 6. dclydew:Well, I must say that while Obama appears to be a less than interesting candidate… he did make a small and useful point. Patriotism has nothing to do with wearing lapel pins, flying a flag, sticking those silly looking fake ribbon bumper stickers on your car or anything else of the sort.
All of those things are fine, if they’re the sort of things you’d like to do. However, they don’t make you a patriot or patriotic in and of themselves. We Americans have become less and less aware of this for decades.
I counted 35 faded, torn and crappy looking flags in the past week. A couple were on vehicles, many were hanging, by threads to some ancient pole sticking off someone’s home. My grandfather would likely have blown a circuit at such a lack of patriotism. Yet, you can be sure that the fellow with two faded (pink, yellow and light gray are not the colors of the flag) flags tagged on the back of his motorcycle thinks he’s a Patriotic American.
I think patriotism can be difficult, whereas nationalism can be easy. Patriotism, in the above example, means that you understand what the flag represents and you honor and respect that metaphor. Nationalism, though means you chant America and wave stars and stripes about. I often wonder how many people that claim to be Patriots are actively disgracing Old Glory… without even thinking about it.
Sorry for the rant (pet peeve), my grandpa was a WWII vet and he drilled the flag code into my brain
Oct 4, 2007 - 2:17 pm 7. hackworth:The banality of your observations on this matter boggle the mind. What kind of ego is it that feels we must listen to this blather? Enough.
Oct 4, 2007 - 2:23 pm 8. Barry Dauphin:In some ways this is like when Kramer didn’t want to wear the AIDS ribbon: Who Doesn’t Want to Wear the Ribbon?
Only Obama shouldn’t try to put down those who do wear the pin as if that automatically means they are unthinking/knee-jerk types, and he sounds vaguely close to going there.
Oct 4, 2007 - 2:36 pm 9. Ray Zacek:I agree. Wearing a flag lapel pin has nothing to do with patriotism. Just as having a father you never knew from Kenya has nothing to do with being black.
Oct 4, 2007 - 2:43 pm 10. Michael J. Totten:I don’t own a flag pin or an American flag of any kind. I never have. But if I were running for president I sure as hell wouldn’t refuse to wear one. The man has no sense. Hillary Clinton could really hurt him with this one.
Oct 4, 2007 - 3:28 pm 11. Jack Okie:dclydew:
I’ll bet your Grandpa would be proud to know how well his lessons took.
In a similar vein, the argument about flag burning misses the point. As much as it infuriates me to see someone burning an American flag, the fact is they are only harming A flag. Only actions against our Constitution and freedoms can harm THE flag.
Just my 2 cents.
Oct 4, 2007 - 4:14 pm 12. dclydew:MJT,
if I were running for president I sure as hell wouldn’t refuse to wear one.
If you were running for president, I doubt that there would be much question about the 2008 election… it would be all sewn up
Oct 5, 2007 - 7:59 am 13. Buddy Larsen:all sewn up
LOL –great, on the flag theme–
Oct 5, 2007 - 9:38 am