Letters to the Editor
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Obama's minister
We should not confuse patriotism with jingoism. Many, perhaps the majority of Americans even, are deeply patriotic; not necessarily "my country right or wrong", but more "I love my country even when she is wrong." They would no more ask God to damn America than they would ask God to Damn their child. They are proud to put their hand over their hearts and wear flag lapel pins and hate it when people disrespect their flag or their country. These are the folks whose sons and daughters join the military and four thousand of them now have come home in coffins from Afghanistan and Iraq.
The challenge to liberals and progressives is to convince these voters we actually care about America as much as they do. When we are angry we need to communicate that our anger is born of caring not contempt for this country. That is Obama's challenge in this campaign.
Jason Whitlock wrote "A Letter to Obama" published in the Sports section of the Kansas City Star on Sunday, March 24, in which he writes the speech he thinks Obama should have given in response to Rev. Wright: "It is impossible for me to despise, dislike and wish for God to damn America, Whitlock writes. "I am America. I am a product of America’s melting pot, proof of America’s willingness to acknowledge its mistakes and do better, an example of the kind of tolerance and opportunity you will find nowhere else in the world." This article is still available online at www.kansascity.com. I recommend it.