Letters to the Editor
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@ Valkyrie607
What else is on that list? Propoganda? Designating an evil Other to unite against? Confluence of govt/business/military? Secret prisons?
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Cartoon Riots, American-style
Ten gets you twenty that the same people beating their breasts over what are only one man's comments about the state of his nation are the people who reacted with bemused pity when some Muslims rioted about cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in an unfavorable light.
Different sacred cow, same irrational outrage.
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@chimpygo
You can click on my sig for the full list...
But as to what you're getting at, yes, there are more commonalities than the first one. Notable are: an obsession with national security, scapegoating enemies (as you mentioned), a disdain for human rights, and privileging military funding over domestic agendas.
I'm sort of regretting having gone there, but brunnhilde's musing about the idolatrous aspect of this patriotism-gone-mad got me musing. Can't let the Goldbergs of the world restrict my vocabulary, now can I?
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What was the root cause of 9/11?
In the words of Nancy Sinatra, "You been messin' where ya shouldn'ta been messin'."
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BD
And didn't Pat Robertson say 911 was God's wrath for suffering the homosexuals to live unmolested among us?
He cut out the middle man, as it were, leapfrogging right over plausible (albeit arguable) political explanations about chickens and went right to the supernatural one.
As I recall, the response, to the extent there was one in the msm, ws, "Ah, that Pat, doddering old so-and-so! Is he a crazy uncle or what, God love him!"
And which one talked about Katrina as being the same, God's punishment of New Orleans for suffering the homosexuals and communists and half-breeds and God knows what all else to live among them?
Amazing the things you can say if you're a right-wing zealot.
Except it's not amazing at all, but rather par for the course.
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It's That Damn Flag Pin and It's Wearers
Gary.....absolutely on target once again....a beautifully well placed IED on the sholder of the highway to our conscience.....for those dishonest enough not to have one. Whatever happened to that discussion we were all going to have about the reasons for the attacks of 9/11? John H. Higgins cazador@nnex.net
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Exceptionalism
What I find interesting is that the Founders were pretty cynical about America's prospects. Franklin said "It's a republic if you can keep it" and Jefferson thought the entire system would have to be scrapped and restarted every 20 years or so. They had a dim (or realistic, if you prefer) view of human nature in general, and Democracy in particular, a view largely upheld by history.
I'm not sure when that viewpoint began to fade, but it seems to me that we are now at the point where attempts to return to the original views of the Founders are seen as unpatriotic. Nobody wants to question our feet of clay.
Both parties have bought into slightly different notions of Exceptionalism that at the core are identical. We are now a chosen people, instead of being merely favored by that divine providence, and each generation inherits this exceptionalism instead of earning it anew through our actions.
IM!HO This election cycle offers us a crossoroads where we could strike out in a new direction, maybe we can even head Back to the Future.
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I am disappointed with Salon readers
Mr Kamiya wrote a courageous article about what true patriotism is - it is NOT about what you say, it is NOT about the lapel pin you wear, it is NOT about the flag you wave. It is in your action that elevates the country. People who are in the current administration have managed to severely denigrate the reputation of America and devalue the currency of America. Even if they wore nothing but flags and pins, they would not be patriots.
Just sit down and calmly finish his article before dashing to your closet to find a flag to wave. Don't be like the BushCo.
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Pointing the finger
Rev. Wright's speech is important to many Americans and some of his demagoguery is extremely vitriolic. I do not see how pointing the finger and placing blame is going to help blacks in America. While it would be completely wrong to deny that blacks face many challenges in this country, it does them no good to go around with a chip on the shoulder. If Wright would use his considerable influence to preach that individuals should take responsibility for themselves rather than paint themselves as victims, he would be doing his parishioners a real service. After all, this is the lesson of life and it applies to all of us.
It was a political blunder to have Rev. Wright around if nothing else and for Obama to deny that he was unaware of his harsh attitudes when he had been a member of his church for twenty years bends truthfulness to the breaking point.
It is true that patriotism can be used as a bludgeon... certainly George Bush has been attacking politicians for questioning his Iraq blunder and our continued presence in that country for a long time. And America should do some soul searching about our affairs in other countries, but to point the finger blasting all of us for it in the way Rev. Wright did simply puts him in the position of being a chider and not a healer.
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@ Fester
"IM!HO This election cycle offers us a crossoroads where we could strike out in a new direction, maybe we can even head Back to the Future."
Agreed.
I truly believe an Obama presidency at least offers the potential for something genuinely different.
When he says he not only wants to end the war, but end the mindset that got us into war I take him at his word.
That's a profound and eminently worthy goal.
I know naysayers will seize on that as empty words and even those inclined to respond to the goal will demand a concrete plan, but the truth is, there is no plan.
How can you have a plan to end a mindset?
And yet, that's not to say the president's not in a position to set us in that direction. He (or she, but not, I fear, this she) can offer a different model of leadership, of politics, and yes, of rhetoric, which doesn't pander to people's fears: 911911911911 be afraid, be afraid, be afraid, 911911911, but rather reminds us we have nothing to fear but fear itself.
Frankly, though, from the vitriol I've seen pour forth of late, it seems pretty clear to me that, if by some miracle we manage to elect this guy, he won't be long for this earth.
In fact, I often wonder if the lessons of the Kennedys and MLK and Malcom X have been learned all too well: don't rock the boat.
Is that why we haven't had leadership like that in thirty years?
Fear?
Fear of sticking one's neck out lest it get hacked off?
I'm not an American historian, but it sure seems to me that the quality of our public leaders has declined precipitously since the 1960s and we've all demanded nothing more than reliable mediocrities.
I don't know...